The Daily Bulletin is published by Internal and Leadership Communications, part of University Communications
Contact us at bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Submission guidelines
Waterloo named Research University of the Year
The University of Waterloo has been designated Research University of the Year in the Canadian universities comprehensive tier by Research Infosource Inc. for the 14th consecutive year.
Waterloo also ranked 13th in Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities for sponsored research income with more than $211 million. Among comprehensive universities, Waterloo placed first for corporate research income with more than $31 million.
President Vivek Goel says the University’s research excellence is supported by industry partnerships that create opportunities to generate new knowledge and solve increasingly complex, real-world problems.
“Waterloo researchers excel in a unique environment that integrates experiential education and entrepreneurship with disciplinary and interdisciplinary research,” Goel says. “Our commitment to solving the most complex challenges of our time is shaped by fundamental and applied research excellence and our deep industry and community partnerships.”
Waterloo’s consistent ranking as Canada’s most comprehensive research university is a testament to the University’s strategic priority to advance research for global impact.
The announcement by Research Infosource marks the 20th anniversary edition of Canada’s Innovation Leaders, Research Infosource's premier national print and digital publication.
“We are delighted to receive this recognition as a leader in research excellence among Canadian comprehensive universities once again. I would also like to congratulate the team at Research Infosource as they celebrate the 20th anniversary edition of Canada’s Innovation Leaders,” says Charmaine Dean, Vice-President, Research and International.
Research Infosource’s Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities rankings are based on a balanced set of impact measures that distinguishes exceptional achievement in research income and publishing research in leading scientific journals.
"Since its establishment, the University of Waterloo has built an unparalleled culture of research, innovation and entrepreneurship. That is reflected both in its funding inputs and publication outputs, and in its real-world impact," says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource.
Waterloo's International Man of Mystery: Drew Knight to retire after four decades
A message from the Office of Research.
After a 40-year career at the University of Waterloo, Drew Knight is retiring with his last day set for January 31, 2022.
A Waterloo graduate with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in geography, Drew began his career at Waterloo in the Faculty of Environment.
Over the years his role evolved from a technical position to research management, and ultimately to international development. He was also encouraged to participate in research programs based on his academic background in coastal zone studies. Drew collaborated with other researchers to secure and manage major grants for research projects in Indonesia, China, Thailand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
These experiences ranged from participating in climate change studies impacting coral reef systems in Fiji, sustainable development strategies in Bali and surveying the coastal destruction from the Tsunami in Sri Lanka.
In 1998 Drew joined the Office of Research. Holding several roles within the Office and Waterloo International, Drew represented Waterloo and Canada at major international conferences, provided oversight on international research projects, participated in over 20 international committees and developed partnerships with leading universities, some of which have developed into strategic partners, just to name a few of his achievements.
The legacy Drew leaves behind is the International Research Partnership Grants program launched in 2011 with an initial budget of $150K. To date, the program has funded 160 projects generating $23 million in new grants awarded to Waterloo researchers, 150 new innovations and technologies, eight patents, six startups, over 320 joint publications and the establishment of three joint international laboratories – one of the most successful seed funding programs at Waterloo.
"Drew Knight shaped the international research portfolio and spearheaded many major initiatives for our institution, bringing clear-headed and capable leadership, and a generous and principled approach to his duties. All jobs go smoothly when they have been handled by Drew,” said Charmaine Dean, Vice-President, Research and International.
As he embarks on retirement with plans for volunteering at a coral reef restoration project in the Caribbean and reflects on his time at Waterloo, Drew closes with: “All these wonderful experiences could only have taken place in one location – the University of Waterloo. It truly is an innovative institution.”
Third annual Employer Impact Awards program launches
A message from Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE).
Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) is pleased to announce that submissions are now open for this year’s CEE Employer Impact Awards.
Each year, the CEE Employer Impact Awards recognize and honour employers for their industry excellence and the incredible opportunities they provide to University of Waterloo students.
With a global network of more than 7,500 distinguished employers in over 65 countries, CEE’s employers provide quality work-integrated learning experiences—as well as opportunities for growth, training and development—to more than 25,000 Waterloo students. Our students are successfully prepared to enter the future workforce thanks to the commitment and guidance of our valued employers.
If you or your network of employer partners would make a great candidate to receive an Employer Impact Award, please review the eligibility and submission requirements and complete your submission today.
Virtual Noon Hour Concert Series: Connecting with Nature
By Ashitha Mantrawadi.
Music unites people all over the world. This winter, Conrad Grebel University College is bringing people together virtually through the Noon Hour Concert series, starting January 26at 12:30 pm. Additional concerts will premiere on most Wednesdays during the Winter term. These concerts are recorded with a small live audience and are broadcasted on the Grebel YouTube channel.
“In the Noon Hour Concert series, we feature musicians who are professionally trained in both Western and non-Western musical traditions,” says Kate Steiner, music professor at Grebel and coordinator of the Noon Hour Concert series. “When we feature music of non-Western traditions, we often discover just how Western our expectations of concert performances really are. In the Western Classical tradition, the audience is a passive listener. That kind of division between listener and performer doesn’t exist in many non-Western traditions, and so fitting that music into a concert performance often requires some adjustment.”
Gerard Yun, Assistant Professor of Community Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Nathan Stretch, Community Manager at Kitchener Public Library will perform the Shakuhachi Concert on January 26. These two musicians will showcase four different compositions with the use of the Shakuhachi, a Japanese Zen Buddhist flute, acoustic and electric guitars, and bio-electric fields generated from plants.
“In the Shakuhachi concert, Gerard Yun guides us through traditional Japanese forms of music as spiritual meditation, and also introduces us to the ways he has incorporated Shakuhachi into his own contemporary musical practices,” said Professor Steiner.
This concert brings forth the idea that plants are sentient beings with the ability to interact with people. Although plants do not have nerves to produce electrical signals, they have cells that can generate electrical impulses when exposed to a certain stimulus, such as sound, light, and temperature. Professor Yun highlights the plants’ reaction to the Shakuhachi and the guitar as electrical signals, by using a plant sonification device and its corresponding app. The plant sonification device performs a process called bio sonification, where it translates the electrical signals produced by the plants into musical notes.
“We make electrical fields too, and they are interacting with the plants. We can see the interaction on an app,” explained Professor Yun. “The app takes those signals and translates them into a sound and somewhat into a rhythm. We can tell the app which notes to produce at certain signals.”
The Shakuhachi Concert demonstrates that technology can have a collaborative relationship with nature. This is prominent in Professor Yun’s own plant research, as he unveiled an invisible phenomenon and worked with it to create numerous beautiful compositions.
“We hope that the concert, while not overly prescriptive, creates evocative space for people to investigate preconceived notions of what reciprocal music-making can be,” shared Nathan Stretch. “We hope the beautiful surprise of this unique collaboration was communicated to the audience as we experienced it.”
Grebel’s Noon Hour Concert series features seven unique concerts performed by professionally trained musicians. Some of these concerts include the Double Double Bass Concert performed on February 16, the Returning to Our Roots Concert performed on March 2, the Carnatic Violin Concert performed on March 23, and more. Join the Grebel community starting January 26 at 12:30 pm to experience both western and non-western styles of music. A special thanks goes to Staebler Insurance for sponsoring the Noon Hour Concert series.
For concert details, visit the Music events page and find the Noon Hour Concert playlist on YouTube.
Tuesday's notes
The Writing and Communication Centre's English Conversation Circles begin today. Register online and join the conversation, says a note from the WCC.
With Athletics and Recreation Facilities set to reopen on January 31, Warrior Rec Registration has opened up for the remainder of the winter term for in-person activities, subject to the following restrictions:
- You must reserve your spot in advance of entering the facility. Reservations can be made 5 days in advance and standby registration will occur at the Customer Service Desks.
- As you enter the facility you must continue to present proof of vaccination (QR code with identification is required), your 'Green Check' and tap your WatCard.
Reserve your spot on the Athletics and Recreation website.
Join the upcoming Water Innovation Challenge information session to review the competition process and an opportunity for Q&A with experts from BlackBerry and the Water Institute on Thursday, January 27 at 12:30 p.m. This information session will cover:
- Water Innovation Challenge introduction;
- the Water Innovation Challenge process;
- Research areas of interest; and
- a Question/answer period.