Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Waterloo's exceptional student teachers named

The Amit and Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student for 2019 will be presented to three student teachers at Convocation, Associate Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Jeff Casello announced at Monday's meeting of the University's Senate.

This year's recipients are:

• Marcus Abramovitch
• Apratim Chakraborty
• Heidi Fernandes
• Caelan Wang

Marcus Abramovitch, Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Marcus Abramovitch, a PhD candidate in the department of Chemistry, is recognized by students and faculty members for his leadership, patience, and dedication in teaching.  A student described Abramovitch’s teaching as exceptional because of “his passion towards the subject and his passion towards his students.” Abramovitch is characterized by his students as “very open and approachable” who often went out of his way to be available and present in his students’ learning. He would “question, probe, and attempt to get the student to explain his/her reasoning for their thoughts instead of simply giving the answer”. Many students reflected that Abramovitch had made a significant impact on their learning personally and made working with him very engaging and beneficial. 

A faculty member who supervised Abramovitch in his teaching commented that he “put himself 300% into the course material, not just in time, but in effort that was well appreciated by the students”. Additionally, he filled in for six lectures “with aplomb and excellence.” A student highlighted that Abramovitch “went above and beyond the expectations for his role as a TA and even took on teaching the course.”  

Abramovitch has been a teaching assistant for CHEM 310.

Apratim Chakraborty, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Apratim Chakraborty, a PhD candidate in the department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, is recognized by students and faculty members for his “never-give-up mentality, above-and-beyond learning attitude, and excellent communication skills” in teaching. Chakraborty was always available to his students and engaged in their learning. He was also willing to help his students with other course material that may not be his own, signifying that he cared about his students and prioritized student learning. 

A student remarked that Chakraborty had made “several profound impacts on [their] learning and the way [they] approach difficult problems."  When asked what made Chakraborty an exceptional teacher, a student replied that “humility, kindness and diligence really set [Apratim] apart as a teaching assistant, but what sets him above is his compassion and care for the students he helps.” A faculty member commented that Chakraborty has “the potential to become an excellent university-level instructor in the near future.”

Chakraborty has been a teaching assistant for ECE 209, ME 115, ME 235, ME 596, and MTE 203.

Heidi Fernandes, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science

Heidi Fernandes, a Masters student in the School of Pharmacy, is recognized by her students, peers and faculty members for her leadership, teaching methods, adaptability and passion in teaching. A faculty member remarked that Fernandes “has already become [the] ‘go-to’ person when [instructors] need someone to lead a teaching activity.” Fernandes “thrived” in her role as a tutor for PHARM 422; a challenging course where she guided students in their learning, provided constructive feedback and facilitated class dynamics with excellence. In this course, Fernandes implemented an active teaching strategy of pairing up students to learn and teach from each other, which made a profound difference in her students’ learning.

A student remarked that Fernandes had the “ability to take complex topics and explain them in a very clear, structured and simple manner.” Fernandes is consistently making “it a priority to provide [her students] with all the support needed to succeed.” Fernandes served as an assessor for the Objective Structured Clinical Exam series and is a member of the Society of Pharmacy Students. She also completed the Fundamentals of University Teaching certificate offered by the Centre for Teaching Excellence.

Fernandes was a teaching assistant for PHARM 222, PHARM 223, PHARM 422, and lab facilitator for PHARM 229, PHARM 329.  She also guest lectured for PHARM 378, PHARM 472, SWK 601R and was a supervisor for PHARM 401. 

Caelan Wang, Combinatorics & Optimization, Faculty of Mathematics

Caelan Wang, a PhD candidate in the department of Combinatorics & Optimization, is recognized for her teaching strategies, dedication and passion in teaching. A student remarked that Wang “works hard and goes beyond what she is required to ensure the well-being of her students” and is highly present and engaged in her students’ learning. When asked about Wang’s teaching, a student replied that “her teaching was exceptional because she always went above and beyond to help, constantly tried to improve her teaching, and ultimately made the course much more understandable.”

Caelan continues to look for learning opportunities to grow in her teaching, as well as in others by mentoring graduate students in their teaching through the Centre of Teaching Excellence as a Graduate Instructional Developer and a recipient of the Fundamentals of University Teaching Certificate. A graduate student whom Caelan had worked with reflected that their “teaching skills have greatly benefited from [Caelan’s] advice and support.” Wang is also a mental health advocate and part of the Women in Mathematics Committee as a Graduate Student Representative. 

Wang has been an instructor for MATH 239, and a teaching assistant for MATH 674 Topic 3. 

Sheila Ager named Dean of Arts

The University of Waterloo has appointed Sheila Ager as the next dean of its Faculty of Arts.

This week, the University’s Senate passed a motion recommending Professor Ager’s appointment to the Board of Governors, which approved the appointment on Tuesday.

A faculty member at Waterloo since 1987, Professor Ager is a full professor in the Department of Classical Studies and currently serves as interim chair for the Department of Fine Arts. 

She completed her BA and MA degrees at Queen’s University, and earned her doctorate from the University of British Columbia. At the University of Waterloo, Professor Ager has served her department, Faculty and the university in a variety of roles over 30 years.

Professor Ager is a scholar of Greek history, specializing in the Hellenistic age – the years between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Often engaging interdisciplinary approaches, much of her research has centered on interstate relations in this period, including peaceful dispute resolution. 

“Over her years at this university, Professor Ager has clearly proven her excellence and dedication in both academic and administrative leadership roles,” said Vice-President, Academic & Provost Jim Rush. “I’m pleased and confident that her collaborative leadership style, combined with a deep institutional knowledge, will serve the Arts and University community very well.”

Professor Ager’s considerable record of service includes chair of the Department of Classical Studies (2009-17), Associate Dean of Arts, Undergraduate Studies (2001-07), two terms as a member of Senate, and one term as a member of the Board of Governors. She is currently Director of the Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies, and, since 2016, has been Director of the University of Waterloo’s Academic Leadership Program.

Starting her five-year term as dean on July 1, 2019, Professor Ager takes over from Douglas Peers, a professor of history who served as dean for two terms.

Velocity Fund $25K finals today

The Velocity Fund $25K finals will be held today. The competition will see student teams and companies pitch their ideas and businesses to a panel of leaders representing the investment, startup and business communities.

For the first time, the main event is being held off-campus at the Tannery Event Centre in Kitchener. The $5K finals, held yesterday, took place in the Student Life Centre.

Also new for this year, for the first time in the competition’s history, winners will receive direct equity investments from angel investors – a move announced in January that is aimed at benefiting both startups and investors.

The new, AngelList-powered venture fund will invest in startups in industries ranging from software to biomedical. It will give investors a simple way to invest in a diversified portfolio of early-stage startups supported by Waterloo’s Velocity Garage startup incubator.

The finalists are:

• ClearVoxel, which is creating solutions that enable radiologists to leverage AI and diagnose patients more quickly and accurately.
• Glove Systems, which provides a cloud-based, end-to-end solution for the fabrication industry.
• SiteVue, an intelligent media management solution that eliminates rework in construction.
• Stabilo Medical, which improves the speed and quality of stroke rehabilitation by enabling patients to exercise independently from a therapist.
• Stride (by NeuroGate), a mobile app that helps rehabilitation specialists deliver better care to their patients by helping them collect insightful patient data in less time, with more accuracy, and in a more cost-effective way with the help of machine learning.
• Tugolo, which lets travelers easily find, customize, and book their entire authentic trip. The platform connects travelers with a local who provides everything they need: accommodations, experiences, and services.
• Volta Technique’s innovative clean energy storage technology ensures reliable and economical operation of the electrical grid.
• Watfly, which provides urban electric flight solution.
• Zetotec, an app that acts like an AI-powered financial consultant in your pocket. The app automatically captures, analyzes, and learns from a company's data to maximize operational efficiency and profit in real-time.

Wednesday's notes

Here's today's Nutrition Month "myth vs. fact" supplied by Health Services Dietitian Sandra Ace:

Claim:   The ketogenic diet is an ideal plan for weight loss.

Evidence:  Ketogenic diets have been used for more than 100 years since they were discovered to be effective for treating epilepsy in children. Today the “keto” diet is the darling of the online weight loss community, the latest diet craze diet that promises quick results and targets body fat. The ketogenic diet severely restricts carbohydrate intake in order to force the body to turn to stored fat for fuel, a metabolic process called ketosis. Although there are some slight variations, the diet limits carbohydrate to about 20g or less per day to ensure the body moves into and remains in ketosis. Unlike other low carb diets, protein is also limited to some extent. Eating too much protein will allow for glucose production (through gluconeogenesis) and will keep the body from achieving ketosis. Consequently, fat makes up the bulk of the calories in this diet – about 70 percent. There is little regard given to the type of fat eaten. Higher fat cuts of meat, butter, cheese, coconut oil and other saturated sources of fats are encouraged. Grains and legumes are not allowed because of their carb content and even fruit and many vegetables are off limits. A small serving of berries is allowed daily and veggies are limited to leafy greens and other very low carbohydrate choices.

There is a limited amount of research on the ketogenic diet. Dietitians of Canada Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition (PEN^®) reviewed existing research and concluded that the ketogenic diet does not result in a clinically significant weight loss at one year compared to a low fat diet. The ketogenic diet improved HDL ((“good cholesterol”) and triglyceride levels compared to a low fat diet, however LDL (bad cholesterol) levels also increased. Adverse effects have been reported, including constipation, diarrhea, headache, bad breath, muscle cramps, general weakness and rash. Without a variety of grains, fruits and vegetables, the intake of many nutrients could be low, including calcium, vitamin D, selenium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

Like many weight loss plans, the keto diet can help you lose weight because it cuts out groups of foods, leading to a lower caloric intake. In the long term, as with other restrictive diet fads, most people will not find it sustainable and will regain the weight lost. If you are considering trying the ketogenic diet, here is a Checklist for Choosing a Weight Loss Program as well as a recent review, Should you try the keto diet?. Extreme diets can interfere with family meals and social events, can impact your health and can damage your long term relationship with food. A registered dietitian can help you look beyond fads and provide you with reliable, sustainable and life-changing advice to help you achieve your wellness goals.