Wednesday, February 17, 2016


Ian Rowlands named interim AVP International

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ian Rowlands as Interim Associate Vice-President, International for a one-year term beginning February 15, 2016," wrote Vice-President, University Research George Dixon in a memo circulated last week.

Professor Ian Rowlands.Rowlands is a Professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability and currently the Associate Dean, Strategic Initiatives in the Faculty of Environment. He has research and teaching interests in the areas of energy management strategies and policy, international environmental relations and corporate environmentalism. Before joining the University of Waterloo in 1998, Ian was a researcher at the United Nations Collaborating Centre on Energy and Environment in Denmark (1996-97) and a lecturer in International Relations and Development Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (1991-96). He has also been a Visiting Fellow at the Robert Schumann Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Italy (2003).

"I look forward to working with Ian, and am confident that he will have your full cooperation and support," Dixon's memo concludes.

Getting Connected: the Partnerships for Employment Job Fair

by Phoenix McDonald.

Two women stand in front of a Partnerships 4 Employment Banner.Printing résumés, donning professional clothes, and researching companies – it sounds like a checklist you’d complete prior to going to an interview. It was also a reality for over 3,000 students who headed to the Partnerships for Employment (P4E) Job Fair at RIM Park in Waterloo on February 3. Students and alumni from the University of Waterloo, Conestoga College, University of Guelph, and Wilfrid Laurier University, networked with 192 unique organizations – making it the largest event of its kind in the country.

Organizations from across Canada, the United States, and as far away as Amman, Jordan came to recruit for a wide range of job opportunities, including full-time, part-time, temporary, summer, internship, and co-op positions.

Job Fair 2016 saw an increase of 8 per cent in overall attendance from the 2015 Job Fair, and a 33 per cent increase from the 2014 Job Fair. University of Waterloo students turned out in impressive numbers, making up 40 per cent of the total attendees.

Students and alumni met with employers throughout the entire day – even up until the end of the Job Fair, students were lingering until the very last moment in order to maximize this opportunity, and also able to take advantage of some fun perks, like the P4E app and visiting the headshot photo booth for their LinkedIn profile.

We would like to thank all those who attended, as well as the many volunteers who made this event such a success!

Hear their stories: welcoming refugees

by Lamees Al EthariThis article was originally posted on the Faculty of Arts news site.

Watching Syrian refugees arrive in Canada these past few weeks has ignited memories of displacement and migration for me and my family. I am not a refugee. I have not been stranded in UN camps that provided the basic needs for human survival. I have, however, lived through the traumatic experience of war and displacement. I have stood for hours at the borders of neighboring countries and pleaded with officers as they rummaged through my clothes and threatened to send me back on the long, dangerous route to Baghdad that seemed to never end. As an Iraqi, I lived through both Gulf Wars and was forced in 2006 to find some way out of the country in order to escape the constantly rising violence and instability that plagued Iraq. We left Baghdad with three suitcases of our belongings and a prayer for better days to come.

The experiences of trauma and displacement were not issues that we easily overcame or dealt with. At times, I feel that I can still smell the scents of morning as I wake up at my grandfather’s home surrounded by family. At times, I am jolted awake by memories of American troops raiding our streets. I am always burdened by mixed feelings of unquenchable longing for a home that is no longer there and a life that has dissolved in the midst of conflict, fear and hate. 

I do not believe we will ever fully recover from that experience, however through supporting each other and finding support in the communities that surrounded us we were able to focus on moving forward and constructing a new sense of belonging and identity here in Canada. We have learned to establish a home and a way of life that integrates both our culture and our beliefs with the diverse cultures and beliefs of those around us here in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Read the rest of the article on the Faculty of Arts website.

Stratford Campus hosts Game Design Camp

Game Design Camp logo.The Stratford Campus is hosting a Game Design Camp from February 26 to February 28.

This event will bring together students, game designers, developers, educators and industry leaders for a weekend of exploration, creativity and play as participants create a one-button game.

The event is open to current students and members of the community. Industry mentors and academic experts will be on hand to lend their advice and support throughout the weekend. 

Each participant will receive custom Game Design Camp gear, and food will be provided throughout the weekend so you have the energy you need to take on the challenge. A free daily shuttle is available between the Waterloo and Stratford campuses.

Visit the website to learn more and register today.

Media coaching workshops and other notes

The University's Media Relations team is continuing its series of workshops for researchers who wish to build skills for working with the media. Upcoming workshops include:

  • Making the most of media interviews – a workshop for women - Friday, March 4, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

"Continuing our support for gender equity and Waterloo's HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 initiative, the Media Relations team is again partnering Shari Graydon of Informed Opinions to facilitate the dialogue between media and expert women at the University by offering this half-day interactive workshop as an introduction to engaging with the media." 

Register on Eventbrite.

  • Writing compelling commentary - a workshop for all - Friday, March 4, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

"This highly interactive workshop builds researcher's leadership capacity and enhances their credibility and influence by providing participants with the confidence and tools to contribute their expertise to the public discourse through compelling, short-form written commentary for newspaper op ed pages and online sites."

Register on Eventbrite.

A Waterloo Warriors hockey player on the ice.The Warriors Men's Hockey team kicks off their post season tonight with after finishing third in the OUA West division. Waterloo will be hosting the Ryerson Rams in game one of the OUA West Quarter Finals at 7:00 p.m. at the Columbia Icefield Arena.

Check the Athletics site for ticket information and join the Facebook Event to keep up to date on the details. #GoBlackGoGold

Employers on campus next week hosting employer information sessions include Validus Research, CIBC, Bendix, TJX Canada, Work Market, Moneris Solutions Corp, FiveStars, Redfin, Ceridian, North Atlantic Refining, and FDM Group.

Link of the day

20 years ago: The Shawinigan Handshake

When and where

Reading Week, Monday, February 15 to Friday, February 19.

UWRC Book Club, “Undermajordomo Minor” by Patrick deWitt, Wednesday, February 17, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

Battling Internet censorship and surveillance, "Find out how Ian Goldberg is combating Internet censorship and surveillance with privacy-enhancing technologies," Thursday, February 18, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., DC 1302. Please register – seating is limited.

Hagey Bonspiel, Saturday, February 20, 9:00 a.m., Ayr Curling Club.

Senate Meeting, Monday, February 22, 3:30 p.m.

Pursue a part-time or on-line degree at Waterloo, Undergraduate programs, Tuesday, February 23, 12:00 p.m., TC1208.

Waterloo International presents a DAAD Faculty Information Session featuring Dr. Alexandra Gerstner, director, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Information Centre, Toronto Tuesday, February 23, 2:00 p.m., Quantum Nano Centre.

Author event featuring Marc Degens, "God's Busted Knee," Tuesday, February 23, 4:00 p.m., EV3 3406.

Noon Hour Concert: Timepoints: The Toronto Percussion Ensemble, Wednesday, February 24, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College.

New Faculty Information Social Series: Copyright and Licensing, Wednesday, February 24, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., EV1 241.

Velocity Start presents Do People Want Your Sh*t?, Wednesday, February 24, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

UWSA Special General MeetingThursday, February 25, 9:00 a.m., DC 1302. Coffee and treats available at 8:45 a.m.

Declutter Your Life: The Physical & Visible, Thursday, February 25, 12:00 p.m., MC 5501.

WaterTalks Lecture featuring Dr. Susan Hubbard, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, “Geophysical approaches for quantifying watershed structure and function”, Thursday, February 25, 2:30 p.m., DC 1302.

Master of Taxation Open House, Saturday, February 27, 10:00 a.m., Downtown Toronto.

Gender and Equity Scholarship Series, “Gendered or neutral? Considering the language of human-computer interaction,” Tuesday, March 1, 11:30 a.m., MC 5501.

Renison presents a guest lecture featuring Director-General Rong Chuan Wu, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Toronto, “Taiwan’s Foreign Policy,” Tuesday, March 1, 2:30 p.m., REN 2106.

WatRISQ Seminar featuring Motoh Tsujimura, Associate Professor of Operations Research, Faculty of Commerce, Doshisha University, Japan, “Assessing Capital Investment Strategy under Ambiguity,” Tuesday, March 1, 4:00 p.m., DC 1304.

Sawatsky Lecture featuring Sir James MacMillan, “The Spiritual in Music,” Tuesday, March 1, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

Noon Hour Concert: Afternoon’s Night Music, Wednesday, March 2, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

Pursue a part-time or on-line degree at Waterloo, Graduate programs, Wednesday, March 2, 12:00 p.m., TC1208.

Velocity Start presents How To Find Your Customers Online, Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

Conrad Grebel presents The Music of James MacMillan, Sunday, March 6, 3:00 p.m., St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Kitchener.

Velocity Start presents Science Brainstorming, Tuesday, March 8, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

Noon Hour Concert: Stealth in Concert, Wednesday, March 9, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

Velocity Start presents Pitch Like A Pro, Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

East Asian Studies presents a guest lecture featuring Philip Seaton, Hokkaido University, “Pop Culture, History and “Contents Tourism” in Japan,” Thursday, March 10, 6:30 p.m., REN 2106.

CV tips, Tuesday, March 15, 12:00 p.m., TC 1112.

Noon Hour Concert: Haydn String Quartet, Friday, March 18, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

Positions available

On this week's list from the human resources department, viewable through myHRinfo:

  • Job ID#308 – Manager, Undergraduate Studies – Electrical & Computer Engineering, USG

  • Job ID#3119 – Lending Supervisor, Circulation Desk Training  - Library, USG 6

  • Job ID# 3121 – Computer Systems Specialist – Office of Research, USG 8

  • Job ID# 3118 – Chief Ethics Officer – Office of Research, USG 17

Internal secondment opportunities, viewable on myCareer@uWaterloo:

  • Financial Aid Systems Project Analyst – Registrar’s Office, USG 7

  • Support Services Assistant – Economics, USG 4