Thursday, October 3, 2024

Revolutionizing cancer research with AI and quantum technology

Dr. Keith Stewart, vice-president of Cancer and director of the Princess Margaret Cancer Program, and Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo, at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM).

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, more than 100 different types of cancer-related diseases are diagnosed annually.

The University of Waterloo — renowned for its innovative research and academic excellence in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and machine learning — has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM), at University Health Network (UHN). The agreement will lay the groundwork for collaborative opportunities and taking a significant step forward in cancer research.

“This MOU is not just a formal agreement, but a pivotal step towards advancing medical technology and improving health care outcomes through collaboration and innovation,” said Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo, during his remarks at the MOU signing ceremony with PM on September 30.

“At Waterloo, our commitment to health innovation is reflected in our interdisciplinary approach to health technology. We excel at the intersections of health, society, technology and entrepreneurship. By engaging with partners like PM to co-create solutions advancing population health, we offer Canadians a future-facing model for more sustainable community-based health systems.”

Dr. Goel expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential to reshape cancer research and treatment. He mentioned how Waterloo had been selected as the site for the new regional hospital earlier this year. Developing a new hospital also signifies the deepening of Waterloo’s collaboration with local health-care institutions.

Leaders and delegations from both institutions gathered in person and virtually to formally launch the initiative between Waterloo and PM, at a time when AI is transforming cancer care. The MOU fosters an environment where researchers and medical professionals can collaborate on AI-driven projects focused on disease detection, treatment and integration with existing health systems, ensuring more precise and personalized patient care.

“I really believe that together, we can reshape the landscape of cancer research, treatment and diagnosis by levering technologies and making groundbreaking achievements together,” said Dr. Keith Stewart, vice-president of Cancer and director of the Princess Magaret Cancer Program. “We look forward to a future filled with promise, progress and a very united effort towards break throughs that will change lives and shape the future of cancer care.”

Read the full story on Waterloo News

Provost issues call for expressions of interest in new AVP Global Futures position

A message from James W.E. Rush, Vice-President, Academic and Provost.

Expressions of interest are now being accepted for the position of Associate Vice-President (AVP), Global Futures for a five-year term. The AVP, Global Futures will be a tenured professor of the University of Waterloo’s current faculty. This position and the Global Futures portfolio are made possible through a redistribution of existing resources that are currently supporting interdisciplinary work, and this new structure will support greater coordination and efficiencies across interdisciplinary activities, including alignment with the Global Futures.  

Reporting to the Vice-President, Academic and Provost, the AVP, Global Futures will spearhead the development and oversight of the Global Futures Networks (GFN), an institutional cross-campus platform advancing initiatives aligned with the five interconnected Global Futures (Societal, Health, Sustainable, Technological, Economic). Due to the scope of the position, regular consultations with the Offices of the President and Vice-President, Research and International will be integral to this role. 

The AVP, Global Futures will lead and implement strategic planning for the GFN and the new Global Futures Office in alignment with the University of Waterloo Values, and will drive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to foster cross-campus initiatives in research, education, and service. The incumbent will develop and provide oversight over a range of supports for diverse initiatives and oversee communications and outreach. 

This position is open to current tenured University of Waterloo faculty with considerable experience in academic leadership roles managing multiple stakeholders in a complex environment, such as Chair, Director, Associate Dean, Dean, Assistant Vice-President, or Associate Vice-President. The AVP, Global Futures will have a proven record in interdisciplinary research and/or teaching; exceptional facilitation, communication, and relationship management skills; and significant experience in managing initiatives and supporting coordination across diverse stakeholder groups. Extensive knowledge of global trends and challenges relevant to the Global Futures themes is considered a strong asset. 

The successful candidate is to take office in January 2025, or as soon as possible after that date, for an initial five-year term.  

Expressions of interest outlining how the applicant’s experience and interests align to the position requirements are requested by October 15, 2024, via email to recruitment.provost@uwaterloo.ca. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Jenny Flagler-George, Director, Strategic Initiatives at jflagler@uwaterloo.ca if you have any questions or inquiries.

Register for the upcoming Safeguarding Science workshop

A message from the Office of Research.

University of Waterloo community members are invited to join Public Safety Canada (PSC) for several online workshops throughout the months of October and December 2024. In addition to their module on Safeguarding Science, the Research Security Centre is also pleased to announce the launch of three additional virtual modules.

Registration is required to receive an MS Teams link for the session(s).

Module 1: Safeguarding Science

The goal of the webinar is for participants to:

• access guidance and tools to strengthen security posture;
• understand best practices to identify and mitigate research security threats;
• pursue and maintain safe research partnerships;
• maintain institutional reputation of a safe research organization; and
• protect valuable research, data or potentially patentable property.

Module 2: Dual-Use Technologies: Know Your Research – Know your Partners - Assess the Risk

The module elaborates on dual-use technologies and research with specific examples. These examples highlight the complex nature of dual-use technologies, and ways to recognize their sensitivities. The outcome of the module will enhance understanding of the dual-use nature of any research, whether in STEM or social sciences, and give frontline researchers and institutions tools to perform their due diligence and evaluate risks appropriately.

Module 3: Demystifying the International Student Immigration Process

The purpose of this presentation is to provide insight on the immigration process for international students and to explain how prospective applicants are security screened for admissibility.

The presentation will provide an overview on the immigration forms, supporting documents and requirements for a study permit. The roles and responsibilities of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and its security screening partners will be detailed. Case studies are included within the presentation to help demonstrate the process.

Module 4: Know before you Export: Canada’s Export and Brokering Controls

The presentation aims to increase knowledge about Canada’s export controls regime, what is controlled and why; explain how research institutions and academia may be subject to export controls; show how to apply for an export permit; and provide a list of resources and contacts for reference.

Participation is limited to 250 people per module. Please use your University email address to register.

All modules are intended for, but not limited to, researchers, research staff including technicians, postdoctoral fellows and students, research security professionals, research administrators, information technology and information management staff, security personnel, biosafety and radiological safety officers, human resources personnel, supply chain personnel, senior management and any other university personnel.

Find out more information and register.

If you have any questions about the modules, please email researchsecurity-securiteenrecherche@ps-sp.gc.ca.

Remembering Darlene Witherall and other notes

Flags on campus have been lowered in honour of Plant Operations employee Darlene "Dar" Witherall, who passed away on September 15 and whose funeral is scheduled for today. Witherall joined the University in September 2011 and since January 2014 had worked in the position of Custodian I in Plant Operations.

"We are sad to announce the passing of our dear friend and coworker Darlene," says a statement from her colleagues in Custodial Staff and Management. "She was a very friendly person who interacted with all staff and students for the past 12 years. She had a special love for animals, especially her little dog Gus. Your presence we miss, your memory we treasure. Our thoughts go out to her family and loved ones."

Every where you look, there's a public lecture on campus these days. Some upcoming examples:

The CPI Talks Public Lecture Series continues with Demystifying and Detecting Bugs in AI Infrastructure Software featuring Song Wang, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at York University. "AI infrastructure software, such as TensorFlow and PyTorch, is essential to powering modern machine learning applications," says the talk's abstract. "However, the complexity and scale of these frameworks present significant challenges in ensuring their reliability and security. In this presentation, Song will discuss their recent efforts in characterizing, identifying, and mitigating bugs and vulnerabilities within AI infrastructure software."

The lecture takes place tonight from 4:00 p.m to 5:30 p.m. in the Enterprise Theatre in EC5-1111.

The latest entry in the Hallman Lecture Series, Creating sustainable working conditions featuring Dr. Jodi Oakman, gets underway tonight at 5:00 p.m. in HLTH EXP 1689, with a community reception to follow at 6:00 p.m. Dr. Oakman will explore interactions between work and health, starting from the premise that work can have beneficial health outcomes and support productivity. 

Not to be outdone, the Library will host Navigating Misinformation: Trust in Information in the Digital Age tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This online event is a panel discussion hosted by the University Librarian, Beth Sandore Namachchivaya that will feature librarians Brie McConnell and Kate Mercer, and associate professor and director of Waterloo's U&AI Lab, Lai-Tze Fan.