Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Cathy Newell Kelly will be retiring at the end of the year as the University’s Registrar, concluding a distinguished career that spans nearly thirty years at the University of Waterloo.
Over the years, Cathy has exemplified dedicated leadership and a deep commitment to Waterloo’s values. Her focus on equity, transparency, and student success, and her ability to bring together diverse stakeholders to solve institutional challenges has been a hallmark of her tenure. Cathy’s participation in innovative programs and the guidance she provided on committees related to academic integrity, student mental health, and digital transformation have made a lasting impact that will continue to advance Waterloo’s mission.
Please join the University community in honouring Cathy’s contributions to Waterloo and wishing her well in this next chapter.
Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Pearl Sullivan Engineering (formerly Engineering 7) 2472 Event Space
Light refreshments will be provided and speeches will begin at 4:00 p.m. If you have any questions about the celebration, please reach out to Debbie Knepper.
Sustainability Office releases 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report
A message from the Sustainability Office.
The Sustainability Office is thrilled to share the release of Waterloo’s 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report. Prepared by the President’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability (PACES), this annual report presents progress toward the 27 objectives within Waterloo’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS). This year marks a significant milestone as Waterloo’s first ESS comes to a close, with an updated version forthcoming in early 2026.
As of 2025, 22 out of 27 objectives have been completed or are mostly complete, and the remaining 5 are in progress and on their way to completion. There is much to celebrate about Waterloo’s sustainability progress over the last decade: strengthening sustainability in our academic mission, mobilizing significant funding to support decarbonization efforts, implementing foundational guidelines to support our operational practices, and engaging thousands of employees and students through programming, campaigns and events.
“I am extremely grateful for the support from across the campus to make progress on our sustainability goals,” says Mat Thijssen, Director of Sustainability.
“Sustainability is a shared responsibility across Waterloo, and I appreciate the continued effort from academic and operational project partners, committees, and working groups, as well as hundreds of employees and students who make amazing contributions.”
While progress has been made despite the challenges faced over the past several years, there remains much work to be done. The updated Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which will be released in early 2026, will build upon campus successes achieved and lessons learned to clearly map out the long-term sustainability vision for Waterloo, the next phase of action, and how the community can work together.
In the spirit of transparency, Waterloo’s data and progress indicators are available in greater detail, including methodologies, interactive dashboards, and downloadable data sets. For more information, please visit the Environmental Sustainability Report webpage.
Graham Seed Fund now accepting applications
A message from the Graham Seed Fund team.
The Graham Seed Fund (GSF) is accepting applications for its third round, focused on AI adoption in community care. This call invites research projects focusing on the organizational, cultural, and practical factors that shape readiness for responsible AI use in smaller or resource-limited care settings.
Eligible projects can receive up to $35,000 for one year and must involve a University of Waterloo faculty member partnering with a regional hospital, Ontario Health Team, or community health organization.
Help build the knowledge base needed to guide future implementation of AI in community-based healthcare. For more information, visit the Graham Seed Fund website.
The deadline to apply is January 12, 2026.
Black Friday sale at W Store and other seasonal suggestions
"Get 20 per cent off everything at W Store (SCH) and W Store Essentials (MC) when you shop in-store on Black Friday, Friday, November 28," says a note from Print + Retail Solutions. "A 20 per cent off discount applies to almost everything, including clearance products already discounted. Some exclusions apply, including course kits and textbooks, custom orders, Indigenous Collection items, YETI drinkware, LEGO, Jellycat, gift cards, diploma frames, calculators and non-UWaterloo branded technology. "
The 2025 Winterfest Artisan Market will take place today from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and tomorrow, Friday, November 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre (SLC) Multipurpose Room.
Formerly known as the UWSA Craft Show & Sale, the market will feature vendors offering a wide range of creatively crafted items. All items are handmade by UWSA staff, students, or alumni. Vendors contribute 10 per cent of their proceeds to support the UWSA Student Awards, and the UWSA will make a donation to the WUSA Food Support Service for every purchase made.
The University of Waterloo Knowledge Mobilization Community of Practice will convene today for an event titled “How to Build Bridges Between Researchers and Practitioners in Biodiversity Conservation," from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Office of Research – EC5-3167 and virtually on MS Teams. Contact Nadine Quehl to register for in-person or to request a Teams invitation.
Link of the day
What happens in Vegas: Casino at 30
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.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based violence, Tuesday, November 25 to Saturday, December 6.
2025 Winterfest Artisan Market, Thursday, November 27, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, November 28, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Student Life Centre (SLC) Multipurpose Room.
University of Waterloo Knowledge Mobilization Community of Practice, “How to Build Bridges Between Researchers and Practitioners in Biodiversity Conservation,” Thursday, November 27, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Office of Research – EC5 -3167 and MS Teams. Contact Nadine Quehl to register for in-person or to request a Teams invitation.
Waterloo Aging Network for Trainees seminar, Thursday, November 27, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., EXP 1686 or virtual via Teams. For the meeting link, please email aging.trainees@uwaterloo.ca.
Lectures in Catholic Experience presents Joel Thiessen, Thursday, November 27, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Notre Dame Chapel, St. Jerome's University.
Warriors Women’s Hockey vs. Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, November 29, 4:00 p.m., Dan Snyder Arena. Pride Game, W Store Pop Up Shop. Buy your tickets today!
Autumn Breeze: Jazz Ensemble, Sunday, November 30, 2:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College Great Hall (room 1111).
NEW - University of Waterloo Art Gallery presents a Day With(out) Art/World AIDS Day 2025 event, Monday, December 1, 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. (meet artist Andrew McPhail, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.), University of Waterloo Art Gallery, East Campus Hall.
Applications due for Staff Enhancement Grant, Monday, December 1, 11:59 p.m.
NEW - Lectures and classes end, Tuesday, December 2.
Chemistry Seminar: Mass spectrometry based faster and more accurate analytical platform for biomolecules characterization featuring David Da Yong Chen, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Tuesday, December 2, 11:00 a.m., C2-361 (Reading Room).
NEW -Instrumental Chamber Ensemble Concert, Tuesday, December 2, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College chapel, free admission.
NEW - Pre-examination study days, Wednesday, December 3 and Thursday, December 4.
Bringing Indigenous Learning Circles into the Classroom - (CTE7558), Wednesday, December 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., STC 1013.
Community Well-being Fruits and Veg Market, Wednesday, December 3, 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. (while supplies last), Pearl Sullivan Engineering (E7) first floor (by the Robohub) and SLC Lower Atrium.
W3+ and Feminist Think Tank present a moment of creativity, reflection and connection inspired by Suleika Jaouad's The Book of Alchemy, Wednesday, December 3, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., ML 109. Register on Portal.
Bringing Indigenous Learning Circles into the Classroom - (CTE7558), Wednesday, December 3, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., STC 1013.
NEW - Together in Community: Mural Painting Session, Thursday, December 4, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., DC Fishbowl.
NEW - WCMR Special Seminar featuring Evelien Adriaenssens, Quadram Institute, UK, "Bacteriophages and the human gut virome," Thursday, December 4, 11:00 a.m., DC 1304. Please register to attend.
NEW - Final examination period, Friday, December 5 to Friday, December 19.
Leslie Copp retirement open house, Friday, December 5, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., EC5 2301.
PhD oral defences
Biology. Atiyeh Ahmadi, “Microfluidics meet predictive modeling: spatiotemporal characterization of antagonism in bacterial communities.” Supervisor, Dr. Brian Ingalls. Visit the Faculty of Science Thesis Submission Notices website for details on requesting a copy to review. Oral Defence: Tuesday, December 2, 1:00 p.m., RCH 212.
Computer Science. Ronak Pradeep, "Democratizing and Modernizing Information Access: From Open Rerankers to Scalable RAG Evaluation." Supervisor, Dr. Jimmy Lin. Thesis available from MGO - mgo@uwaterloo.ca. Oral defence Wednesday, December 3, 9:30 a.m., DC2314.
Statistics & Actuarial Science. Chi Zhang, "Two-sample Inference, Order Determination, and Data Integration for Functional Data." Supervisors, Dr. Peijun Sang, Dr. Yingli Qin. Thesis available from MGO - mgo@uwaterloo.ca. Oral defence Wednesday, December 3, 10:00 a.m., M3 4001.
Computer Science. Murray Dunne, "Mitigating Risks to Dependability from Vibe-Coding Embedded Systems." Supervisor, Dr. Sebastian Fischmeister. Thesis available from MGO - mgo@uwaterloo.ca. Oral defence Wednesday, December 3, 11:00 a.m., online.
Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies. Myrto Provida, “Selbstbestimmt: The Woman in Contemporary German Women’s Filmmaking.” Supervisor, Dr. James Skidmore. Available upon request from the Faculty of Arts, Graduate Studies and Research Officer. Oral defence Wednesday, December 3, 1:00 p.m., PAS 2464 and hybrid.
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:
- North parking lot at RAC-1 shoring activity, Monday, November 10 to January 1, 2026, shoring, pile driving, lagging and tie-backs will take place between November 10 to the end of December 2025 as part of WaterFEL construction, traffic restrictions and limited access to be in place, excessive noise and vibration may occur in the work area.
- DWE A and B wings (old section) routine maintenance of process hot water system, Thursday, November 27, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., there will be no process hot water to labs, but process cold will still be available and all domestic water to washrooms and kitchenettes will be functional.
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East Campus Hall, Engineering 5, 6, Pearl Sullivan Enginering (E7) fire alarm testing, Friday, November 28, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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Wilmot South, Wellesley South, Eby Hall, Claudette Millar Hall fire alarm testing, Friday, November 28, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- EV 1 electrical shutdown, Tuesday, December 2, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., all 120V and 208V non-essential power will be off for approximately one hour.
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Student Villages East Quad (V1 - East 1-6) fire alarm testing, Wednesday, December 3, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Toby Jenkins Building electrical shutdown, Saturday, December 6, 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon, normal power will be off, and there is no backup generation for this building.