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Submission guidelines
Call for proposals for the Teaching and Learning Conference
A message from the Centre for Teaching Excellence.
Submit a proposal for the University of Waterloo’s Annual Teaching and Learning Conference, taking place Thursday, May 4, 2023. Our 2023 conference theme is “Teaching and Learning with Kindness and Care”.
For our 14th annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference, we explore pedagogies of care and kindness in higher education to give us space to support one another in our teaching and learning journeys. Based on mutual trust and respect, educators using these pedagogies undertake purposeful strategies to demonstrate kindness, care, compassion, sympathy, and empathy when they interact with students. These pedagogies are learner-focused, with relationships between learners, instructors, and peers central to how we construct our learning environment. Important to this overarching theme is fostering a sense of belonging for learners that is inclusive, equitable, and supportive for everyone, even when the learningenvironment is challenging.
We invite you to submit proposals for presentations, panel discussions, workshops, poster presentations, and a teaching andlearning showcase. New this year, we also invite proposals for pre-conference workshops which will be held online prior to the conference on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
For more information check out the Call for Proposals website.
Helping children see by working together
A message from the School of Optometry & Vision Science (UWOVS).
The School of Optometry & Vision Science (UWOVS) is partnering with The Cowan Foundation and the Lions Club of Canada to develop a coordinated vision plan for the Region of Waterloo Public Health to screen every child in senior kindergarten (SK). This plan is to meet the 2018 Ontario Public Health Standards set by the Ministry of Health.
Recent studies in Canada have suggested that approximately 20 per cent of children aged 3 to 6 years have visual problems, such as amblyopia or clinically significant refractive errors. To ensure children have optimal vision for learning, this coordinated effort will focus on performing vision screenings for SK children, while simultaneously examining how they translate to full eye exams and the potential barriers in receiving optometric care.
“It is our goal to ensure that every child receives a full eye exam in kindergarten. By partnering with the Region of Waterloo Public Health, we will be able to identify the effectiveness of translating vision screenings to comprehensive optometric eye exams," says Dr. Lisa Christian, associate clinical professor and associate director of Clinical Programs in the School of Optometry & Vision Science. “Visual disorders can impact every aspect of a child’s life, including their ability to learn to their full potential.”
Dr. Christian is overseeing this partnership project with The Cowan Foundation and the Lions Club of Kitchener, both longstanding supporters of the University of Waterloo.
“We are very pleased to be working on this pilot project with equally passionate partners,” says Mary D’Alton, executive director of The Cowan Foundation. “This project will help address the gaps in vision care for children. This is part of the goal for The Cowan Foundation, to make a positive difference and enhance the well-being of our communities.”
“What we saw with this program was the opportunity to ensure no child is left behind when it comes to vision and its impact on learning,” says Kamran Farooq, president of the Lions Club of Kitchener. “We are excited by the possibilities for children who may otherwise struggle with their education without the intervention of these dedicated volunteers.”
The launch of the Pediatric Vision Collaboration Project will see Lions Club and Cowan volunteers, along with third and fourth year UWOVS interns, performing vision screenings to over 6,000 SK children at 150 schools in the Waterloo Region. Following the screening, information will be sent home to parents recommending their child receive a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist. The goal is to investigate the effectiveness of translating vision screenings to eye exams and the barriers in receiving optimal vision care. The next step after this will be to expand the project across other regions within Ontario and ultimately Canada.
In addition to promoting pediatric vision care, this project will expose UWOVS interns to interprofessional collaborations and the importance of detecting vision related learning problems. Optometry interns will see firsthand the potential gaps in pediatric vision care, which will inform their practice and partnerships as they enter the profession.
“Thanks to The Cowan Foundation and the Lions Club of Kitchener becoming project partners, we will be able to address vision concerns when children need it the most,” says Dr. Stanley Woo, director of the School of Optometry & Vision Science. “We are incredibly grateful for their support in seeing the launch of this project.”
Winter cohorts now open for Mental Health Literacy Program
A message from Campus Wellness.
Winter can be a challenging time of year for students and employees. Being able to identify signs and symptoms of distress and respond with empathy and support involves having a good level of mental health literacy.
The Mental Health Literacy (MHL) Certificate was developed to support faculty and staff to develop and practice these skills. The program is aimed at faculty and staff to encourage discussion and reflection on mental health through an equity-focused lens. Additionally, it empowers participants to build a supportive community of care, concern, and compassion. Over the course of five modules, participants will enhance their understanding of barriers to mental health and competency in responding to a person in distress, accessing resources and supports.
UWaterloo employees that have completed the program thus far find it comprehensive and easily applicable to their work. It provides a safe space for mental health conversations while prompting critical thinking about UWaterloo culture and systems. Participants will also walk away with strategies for incorporating self-care when supporting others.
For faculty and staff not able to complete the entire MHL certificate program, alternative options are available to build their capacity to support students, colleagues, or family members:
- Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress, a 2.5-hour standalone offering from the MHL program
- Question, Persuade & Refer (QPR), a 1.5-hour suicide prevention training.
If you’re interested in signing up for any of the mental health trainings, please visit Campus Wellness’ training page.
Professor unveils new framework to accelerate tourism climate action at COP27
This article was originally published on Waterloo News.
University of Waterloo Professor Daniel Scott was one of three leading experts who launched a new international Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC) at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The panel represents a new era of global collaboration that will support the tourism industry's transition to net-zero emissions and climate resilient tourism development.
Professor Scott and his peers, Susanne Becken and Geoffrey Lipman, presented the 'Foundation Framework' for the TPCC, which brings together more than 60 leading experts from over 30 countries and across academia, business, and civil society, including Dr. Michelle Rutty, Canada Research Chair and assistant professor in Waterloo's Department of Geography and Environmental Management.
"The TPCC is dedicated to a new era of climate resilient tourism that is on track to achieve zero emissions by 2050 and is successfully adapting to the accelerating impacts of climate change through actions that broadly advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goals," Scott said.
Professor Daniel Scott at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The TPCC leaders emphasized that the incredible power of tourism's positive contribution to human development cannot be realized if we fail on climate change. Without action, climate change will adversely transform tourism in the years and decades ahead, and the mission of the TPCC is "to inform and rapidly advance science-based climate action across the global tourism system in support of the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement".
During a technical session at COP27, the TPCC Executive team launched its website www.tpcc.info where visitors can download the 'Foundation Framework', which outlines its three major outputs.
- Climate Action Stocktake Reports – The TPCC will develop a new set of peer-reviewed and open-source indicators that track important connections between climate change and tourism, including progress on sector commitments in support of Paris Climate Agreement goals. TPCC will publish an update of these metrics every three years, with the first to be delivered at COP28 in 2023.
- Science Assessment – The TPCC will undertake the first comprehensive synthesis in more than 15 years of the state of tourism relevant knowledge about climate change emission trends, impacts, future risks, and a focus on mitigation and adaptation solutions. This assessment will include an open and transparent review process and will be published in time for COP29 in 2024.
- Horizon Papers Series – The TPCC will identify strategic knowledge gaps to meet the sector's Paris Climate Agreement obligations through expert reviews and new analysis to support policy and decision-makers.
The Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC) is supported by the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC) led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The University of Waterloo, through the Waterloo Climate Institute, is an official observer to COP and has been sending delegations to witness the negotiations since 2013.
Staff Association Craft Show and Sale returns and other notes
The University of Waterloo Staff Association's 27th annual Craft Show and Sale is returning to campus on Thursday, November 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, November 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Davis Centre Fishbowl (DC1301).
The sale will feature handknit items, stuffed animals, chocolates, jewellery, and other handicrafts made by staff members and retirees. 10 per cent of vendor proceeds will be donated to the UWSA’s student award fund.
"Wearing a mask is strongly encouraged for everyone at the University in all indoor spaces; please consider wearing a tight-fitting, multi-layer mask," says a note from the UWSA.
Anyone with questions can contact co-host Sue Fraser at fraser@uwaterloo.ca.
On Monday, November 21, the Faculty of Science will host Dr. Anne Innis Dagg for a conversation about Gender Discrimination in Academia Past to Present, which which showcase the special exhibit in the Science Teaching Complex that highlights the life and career of Dr. Dagg entitled Musings of a Scientist, Feminist, Activist. The exhibit features a selection of her poems and writings on women and science and a collection of artifacts associated with her career as a wildlife biologist.
Dagg received her PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1967, after completing B.A. (Honours Biology; 1955) and M.A. (Genetics; 1956) degrees at University of Toronto. Her remarkable record includes seminal contributions to the fields of animal biology, behavior, and sociobiology, as well as tireless advocacy and analyses of gender bias in academia. She worked as a part-time lecturer at Waterloo Lutheran University in anatomy and physiology from 1962-1965, and then as an anatomy demonstrator at the University of Waterloo in 1966. In 2019 she received an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Waterloo.
The Faculty of Science welcomes Dr. Dagg, her daughter, and the exhibit creator for an informal discussion about Anne's experiences, the meaning behind the current exhibit pieces and poems in STC, and action we can take for a better future for Science. Join in at 4:00 p.m. at STC 2001 (the study space on the 2nd floor) for hot drinks and pastries and an insightful chat. This is a free event and does not require registration.
"This initiative was invited by the Biology EDI committee," says a note from the Faculty of Science. "The exhibit was created by the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation and curated by Corina McDonald from Science Museum and Galleries."
The Faculty of Mathematics is having a Grad Information Session for current undergraduate students to learn more about graduate studies in Math at Waterloo. The event will take place in the M3 Atrium on Thursday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Students can come and talk to faculty members, grad coordinators, and current graduate students to learn more about graduate studies in the various units in Math.
Refreshments will be served.
The Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity along with RAISE and the Women's Centre will be hosting a candlelight vigil for Transgender Day of Remembrance on Sunday, November 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Peter Russell Rock Garden. This vigil will honour the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. The event is open to the University community. Read the full article about the vigil on the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) website.