Thursday, May 21, 2026

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• Let’s break records this Giving Day!

• Six Waterloo researchers awarded $6 million

• Join United College to celebrate Dr. Richard Myers on June 10

• Thursday's notes

Let’s break records this Giving Day!

A message from the Office of Advancement.

UWaterloo Giving Day is here, and the energy across campus is building. Today is our moment to come together for students and the future we’re building.

Today, eligible gifts up to $1,000 can be doubled while matching funds last.

You may also choose to drop by the SLC Multi-Purpose Room anytime between 11 am and 3:30 pm to celebrate Giving Day:

• Join a live Giving Day gaming session - no gaming experience needed.
• Decorate a Giving Day goose cookie - it’s a light‑hearted way to mark the day.

Giving Day is a celebration of what we can accomplish together. Thank you for showing up for Waterloo through your work, your mentorship, your advocacy and your generosity. Let’s make today unforgettable!

Six Waterloo researchers awarded $6 million

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

Six researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded $6 million in funding to support their research as part of the prestigious Canada Research Chair (CRC) program.  

This cycle, a total of 165 researchers will receive funding totalling more than $139 million for new and renewed chairholders. The announcement was made by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. 

“Congratulations to our new and renewed Canada Research Chairs,” says Charmaine Dean, Vice-President, Research and International. “Guided by the Global Futures, these exemplary researchers will tackle society’s most complex challenges through an interdisciplinary lens and are set to deliver groundbreaking advances across health, society, sustainability, technology and economics for the benefit of Canada and beyond.” 

Here are Waterloo’s newest Research Chairs:  

Dr. Raouf Boutaba | Faculty of Mathematics

Tier 1 NSERC in Network Intelligence ($1,400,000)

Modern digital networks are becoming increasingly complex, with traditional, human-driven management approaches struggling to keep pace with rapid growth and real-time demands. Dr. Raouf Boutaba, Canada Research Chair in Network Intelligence, addresses this challenge by advancing automated, AI-driven network management. His research embeds intelligence throughout the network control process, enabling systems to analyze data, detect faults and adapt operations autonomously. By developing real-time telemetry, predictive models and adaptive orchestration tools, the project aims to create self-managing networks that are more efficient, resilient and scalable. This work will help meet the demands of emerging technologies and services while positioning Canada at the forefront of innovation in next-generation network infrastructure. 

Dr. Sarah Burch | Faculty of Environment 

Tier 1 SSHRC in Transformative Climate Change Governance ($1,400,000)

Communities across Canada are confronting climate change alongside interconnected crises such as biodiversity loss, food insecurity and social inequity. Yet, efforts to address these challenges are often fragmented and slow to scale. Dr. Sarah Burch, Canada Research Chair in Transformative Climate Change Governance, tackles this gap by advancing community-driven, interdisciplinary approaches to climate action. Her research examines how local actors design, test and expand solutions that address multiple sustainability challenges at once. By combining systems thinking, storytelling and experimental interventions, her team will prototype and scale real-world climate initiatives. The work will also harness, disrupt and reshape the capacities of communities to create opportunities for transformative change toward climate resilient, low-carbon development at a global level. 

Read the rest of the CRC profiles on Waterloo News

Join United College to celebrate Dr. Richard Myers on June 10

A message from United College.

Please join the campus and AFIW community as we celebrate Rick and his remarkable 10 years of leadership as Principal of United College. This casual afternoon gathering is an opportunity for colleagues, friends, and community members to thank Rick for his dedication, steady guidance, and contributions over the past decade.

The event takes place on June 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the United College patio.

Drop by to share your well-wishes, stories, and appreciation as we mark this important milestone together. Refreshments will be provided. Registration is encouraged to support catering estimates but not required.

Learn more and register.

Thursday's notes

Registration is now open for the 34^th Matthews Golf Classic, which is set to tee off on June 22. Named in honour of Burt Matthews, the University of Waterloo’s second president, the annual tournament is about building connections, sharing laughs, and enjoying a great day on the course while working on your handicap.

The tournament takes place on Monday, June 22 at Foxwood Golf Club in Baden. Check-in and BBQ lunch runs from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. sharp. A banquet dinner and prize ceremony takes place following the final hole.

Prices range from $90 for just the golf, to $170 for lunch, golf, dinner, and prizes. “Grab your clubs and your sense of humour,” writes the organizing committee, “this is one tee time you won’t want to miss!”

Register today.

The Teaching Dossiers and Philosophy Statements (CTE9914) workshop takes place today from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon in MC 2036. "Documenting your teaching in a dossier involves harmonizing claims, narrative descriptions of practice, and evidence," says a note from CTE. "In this session, we’ll review the typical components of a teaching dossier, aligning with Policy 77. We’ll review sample teaching statements, and you’ll begin drafting or updating a teaching philosophy that reflects beliefs, goals, and approaches to undergraduate and/or graduate teaching."

The MobilizeU 2026 registration period has been extended, and Waterloo staff, faculty, students, postdocs, research team members are invited to register. What is MobilizeU, you might ask? It's is a free 8-week online course for beginner mobilizers interested in learning knowledge mobilization theory and skills. The course runs from June 1 to July 24, with live Zoom sessions weekly on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. starting June 4. Applicants must be available to attend 6 of the 8 live Zoom sessions.

Contact Nadine Quehl for details as soon as possible, as space is limited, and registration closes Sunday, May 24 at 11:59 p.m.