Wednesday, January 24, 2024


Introducing the 2024 Global Futures: Innovation Update

Global Futures 2024 banner featuring geometric shapes.

A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor.

Since our founding in 1957, the University of Waterloo has sought to uncover solutions to the most pressing, complex challenges facing humanity and our planet. As these challenges evolve, we are evolving too.

The world continues to face compounding major crises, meaning universities are essential for ensuring society has the knowledge, technology and talent necessary to tackle these challenges head-on. Waterloo faculty, staff, students and alumni are developing solutions that cut across society, health, the environment, technology and the economy. It’s through interdisciplinary collaboration that research, innovation and imagination thrive.

Inside this publication, you will find examples of Waterloo faculty, staff, students and alumni developing solutions that cut across society, health, the environment, technology and the economy. It’s through interdisciplinary collaboration that research and innovation thrive.

I invite you to read and share these inspiring stories and perspectives of our Waterloo community, who are changing the world. 

Vivek Goel 
President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo 

 Read the full announcement from President Goel

Reminder: the employee and family assistance program is here for your support

A woman stands next to a whiteboard with "what is mental health?" written on it as three people sit at a table in front of her.

A message from Human Resources.

Did you know? The University of Waterloo has an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provided by Homewood Health which is available to  employees (and their spouse/dependent children) who are eligible for the full benefits program. The EFAP provides a toolkit of resources and referral services on numerous issues and topics – personal and professional. All services through Homewood Health EFAP are completely confidential and are no cost to you.

When creating an account, Homewood will ask you to provide the following:

  • First and last name 
  • Date of birth 
  • Email address 
  • Password 
  • Your organization – University of Waterloo 
  • Your invitation code - UAL823 

Support through the EFAP provider is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through the year by going online: homeweb.ca or via telephone: 1.800.663.1142 (English) and 1.866.398.9505 (French). Support is also available through the app for your mobile device from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Remember to use our invitation code.  

Speak at the 2024 Advisor Conference

A speaker on stage at the Humanities Theatre speaking to a packed audience.

A message from the Student Success Office (SSO).

The 10th annual Advisor Conference will bring together hundreds of campus advisors committed to supporting students — and you could be a speaker at it.

Here are some of the areas we’re most interested in hearing about:

  • Advising best practices, research, trends or approaches;
  • Equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, decolonization, or indigenization;
  • Communicating with and understanding our students;
  • Tools, systems, or use of artificial intelligence (AI);
  • Campus supports and services for students;
  • Student wellness or engagement; and
  • Co-op, experiential education or career planning.

This isn’t an exhaustive list. Pitch us whatever you’re an expert in!

When you submit the form, you'll provide three to five sentences to describe your talk and choose the audience (for example, new advisors).

The panel will read the proposals and contact our speakers by March 4, 2024.

What’s in it for you? Network with peers, speakers and guests. And know that you’re making a difference to help advisors on campus provide the highest level of service to students.

Save the date for the 2024 Advisor Conference, April 29-30!

Wednesday's notes

"Applications for Dissertation Boot Camp are due today," according to a note from the Writing and Communication Centre (WCC). Build sustainable writing habits and make progress on your thesis or dissertation at Dissertation Boot Camp. Apply today on the Dissertation Boot Camp website.

Here's today's Consent Awareness Week Setting Boundaries Tip of the Day supplied by the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO):

Time is valuable to many of us and it is important to set boundaries around this valuable resource. Time boundaries consist of how we use our time and who we spend our time with. You can start by thinking about what and who is most important to you, also think about how much time you need and want for yourself, it is okay if one of the most important people in your life is you!

Examples of what to say when setting these boundaries:

  • “That sounds like fun, could you ask me the next time you go, tonight I need some alone time to recharge.”
  • “I know you love camping but it is my worst nightmare, I hope you have a great time and I will see you when you get back.”
  • “I understand sometimes you need to work on the weekends, wondering if you could schedule send your emails to me for Monday morning?”

You may also want to set some tech boundaries if you are finding your phone or social media is taking up a lot of your time. You can change your settings so you do not get notifications or set notifications to silent. You can set the Do Not Disturb on your phone for certain times of day. You could put your phone away when you are at work or when you are with your friends or family. And remember your phone could also be distracting to others, disturbing their time.

Stay tuned for more types of boundaries being discussed in the Daily Bulletin on Thursday and Friday.

Employers hosting Employer Information Sessions this week and next week include Ample, Arista Networks, Neuralink, ADP, Mastercard, Kensington Capital, FanDuel, BMO, CCL, and Canada Revenue Agency. Make sure to register through WaterlooWorks and check the calendar for any updates.

Link of the day

Frank Farian, creator of Boney M., Milli Vanilli, and La Bouche, dead at 82

When and Where

Warriors Game Day Tickets: Season Passes, Black and Gold Alumni Passes and Single Game Tickets now available for the 2023-24 varsity season. Purchase your tickets today!

Waterloo Warriors Youth Camps. Winter, Summer, March Break and PD Day camps available for boys and girls ages 5-18. Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Football, Volleyball and Multi-Sport and Games camps available. Register today.

The Student Health Pharmacy (located in the lower level of the Student Life Centre) is offering flu shots with no appointments needed daily from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 519-746-4500 or extension 33784 for more info. COVID shots will be available beginning October 23. You can register online at studenthealthpharmacy.ca.

Warriors Youth Summer Camps. Registration opens Monday, January 22, 9:00 a.m. Find out more.

English Conversation Circles begin Wednesday, January 24. Registration required.

Campus Life Fair, Wednesday, January 24, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Student Life Centre Great Hall.

Anthropology Research Talk Guest Lecture, "Negotiating “Nkudzedze” During Global Trade: Interpreting the Materiality of Indigenous Practices of Taste in Southeastern Ghana" featuring Dr. Dela Kuma, Professor of Archaeology, University of Pittsburgh, Wednesday, January 24, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., RCH 305.

Climate Action for Health, Health Action for Climate, Wednesday, January 24, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., SLC Black and Gold Room. For students, registration required.

WUSA Candidate Social, Wednesday, January 24, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., SLC multi-purpose room.

Warriors Men’s Hockey vs. Laurier, Wednesday, January 24, 7:00 p.m., Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Battle of Waterloo at the Aud in Kitchener. Buy your student packages here today

Medical Histories Graduate Student Research Panel, Thursday, January 25, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Zoom. 

Warriors Women's Volleyball vs. Lakehead, Friday, January 26, 6:00 p.m., Physical Activities Complex (PAC). Residences Day, Dominos Block Party (if the Warriors complete 7 blocks, all fans will go home with a free pizza voucher), Bell Lets Talk. Buy your tickets today! 

Master of Taxation virtual information session, Saturday, January 27, 9:00 a.m. To register visit www.uwaterloo.ca/mtax.

Integrating climate justice workshop, Monday, January 29, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Dana Porter Library Learning Lab (DP 323). Registration required.

Senate meeting, Monday, January 29, 3:30 p.m., NH3407 and Zoom.

Jack Rosen Ideation Workshop, Tuesday, January 30, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., GreenHouse (UTD 164). Please note the revised date.

Recognizing and Responding to a Person in DistressTuesday, January 30, 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Microsoft Teams. Register on Portal.

Chemistry Seminar: “Electrochemical Evolution and Ion Dynamics in Energy Storage Devices Revealed by 7Li and 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy,” featuring Dr. Gillian R. Goward, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Tuesday, January 30, 2:30 p.m., C2-361 Reading Room.

Global Futures launch event, Wednesday, January 31, 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Federation Hall.

Rock your Thesis I: Plan your project, Wednesday, January 31, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration required.

CrySP Speaker Series on Privacy featuring Yan Shvartzshnaider, York University, “Privacy through Contextual Integrity,” Friday, February 2, 11:00 a.m., DC 1302 and Zoom.

World Wetlands Day Research Symposium, Friday, February 2, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., EIT Foyer.

World Wetlands Day Distinguished Lecture featuring Dr. Andrea Kirkwood, "The Value of Urban Wetlands," 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., EIT 1015.

Warriors Volleyball vs. TMU, Saturday, February 3, women’s game 6:00 p.m., men’s game 8:00 p.m., Physical Activities Complex. Senior day, Warriors Day. Buy your tickets today! 

Warriors Women’s Hockey vs. Brock, Sunday, February 4, 2:30 p.m., CIF Arena. Senior Day. Buy your tickets today! 

Equitable Recruitment and Selection, Monday, February 5, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., online.

Board of Governors meeting, Tuesday, February 6, 1:30 p.m., NH 3407 and Zoom.

Waterloo Region Police Service youth violence connector event and information session, Wednesday, February 7, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., SLC Black and Gold Room.

Indigenous Speakers Series presents Chelsea VowelThursday, February 8, 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages.

FASS 2024 presents “Good Company,” Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9, 7:00 p.m., matinee Saturday, February 10, 2:00 p.m., KW Little Theatre, UpTown Waterloo. Tickets are $15 until January 31, $20 after.

Positions available

On this week's list from the human resources department, viewable on the UWaterloo Talent Acquisition System (iCIMS):

  • Job ID# 2024-11600 - Presentation Technologies Specialist - Information Systems and Technology, USG 7 – 10
  • Job ID# 2024-11634 - Administrative Coordinator - Pure Mathematics, USG 5
  • Job ID# 2024-11637 - Clinical Records Evaluator - AccessAbility Services, USG 10
  • Job ID# 2024-11609 - Director, Strategy and Operations - University Relations, USG 14
  • Job ID# 2024-11607 - Equity Specialist - Office of the Associate Vice-President, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism, USG 9
  • Job ID# 2024-11636 - Undergraduate Advisor - Physics & Astronomy, USG 7
  • Job ID# 2024-11615 - Assistant Manager, Client Success – WatSPEED, USG 7
  • Job ID# 2024-11619 - Business Systems Analyst - Office of the Registrar, USG 9 – 10
  • Job ID# 2024-11620 - Grants & Contracts Manager - Office of Research, USG 9 - 11

Secondments/Internal temporary opportunities

  • Job ID# 2024-11604 - Computing Consultant - Information Systems and Technology, USG 9
  • Job ID# 2024-11608 - Undergraduate Advisor - David R Cheriton School of Computer Science, USG 6 – 7
  • Job ID# 2024-11638 - Content Marketing Specialist – WatSPEED, USG 9
  • Job ID# 2024-11627 - Lead Learning Consultant – WatSPEED, USG 12
  • Job ID# 2024-11613 - Writing and Communication Advisor – Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Support - Writing and Communication Centre, USG 8 – 10
  • Job ID# 2024-11614 - Academic Services Coordinator - Engineering Undergraduate Office, USG 6 - 8

Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo opportunities

https://uwaterloo.ca/careers/current-opportunities/affiliated-and-federated-institutions