Wednesday, March 22, 2017

    Editor:
    Brandon Sweet
    University Communications
    bulletin@uwaterloo.ca


    World Water Day 2017 highlights wastewater

    World Water Day logo with the Earth inside a droplet of water.

    The eighth annual UN World Water Day in Waterloo takes place today. This year's theme is wastewater, and the campaign ‘Why waste water?’ is about reducing and reusing wastewater. 

    Co-hosted by the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, this event is a celebration of water which showcases water research at both universities. This year the event will be hosted at Wilfrid Laurier University.

    The United Nations established World Water Day in 1993 to increase global awareness of the importance of water to the environment, agriculture, energy, health and trade. Each year, the students from the Water Institute and the Laurier Institute for Water Science co-host a full day of activities to highlight the breadth and depth of their water research. This year more than 60 students will be presenting details on their water-related research.

    The keynote speaker this year is Canadian filmmaker, adventurer, writer and environmentalist Frank Wolf, whose remarks are entitled "Advocating for wilderness waterways through adventure."

    The day will also feature a panel discussion on achievements and challenges in Canada’s wastewater system, research poster presentations and a photo contest.

    The student-organized celebration takes place Wednesday, March 22, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Lazaridis Hall on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

    Schedule for teaching and learning conference released

    The schedule for CTE’s 2017 Teaching and Learning Conference, Cultivating Curiosity in Teaching and Learning Conference, is now available online.

    This year's conference theme engages with all things curious in teaching and learning: learn from educational researchers and Waterloo instructors as they share their teaching strategies, research methodologies, and much more in interactive workshops, presentations, and panel sessions. The day kicks off with a keynote session, "Can We Teach Curiosity?", delivered by Dr. Peter Felten, and a special afternoon plenary session, Igniting Our Practice, gives participants an inside look at the teaching methods of two inspiring Waterloo instructors.

    Registration for the conference, which will take place on April 27, closes on April 5.

    Celebrate National Co-op Education Week with contest

    By Christine Nhan

    A student poses with a Waterloo Co-op banner.It’s National Co-op Education Week! From March 20 to March 24, the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) is running a social media contest to celebrate the growth and impact that co-operative education has across Canada.

    With the world’s leading co-op program, Waterloo has many stories that showcase students and employers. “Without a doubt, my academic experience has been enhanced through co-op since I’m given the opportunity to apply classroom material to a real life work environment,” says Sahej Bakshi, a bio-chemistry student at Waterloo.  

    Using the hashtag #coopweek and #hirecoop, students can tweet, like and share their co-op experiences to @CAFCE_CoopWeek for the chance to win lots of fun prizes. Join us in representing the University of Waterloo by encouraging students to participate in the social media contest and be sure to follow @CAFCE_CoopWeek on Twitter to hear all the amazing stories.

    For more information on National Co-op Week, please visit CAFCE’s website.

    Three Minute Thesis finals tomorrow

    3 Minute Thesis image.The University-wide finals competition for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) takes place tomorrow in the Theatre of the Arts.

    The finalists have competed in faculty heats and will give their timed single-slide presentation in front of a panel of judges and an enthusiastic audience from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The winner will move on to the provincial finals.

    3MT is a university-wide competition for graduate students in which participants present their research and its wider impact in 3 minutes or less to a panel of non-specialist judges. The challenge is to present complex research in an engaging, accessible, and compelling way, using one static slide.

    Judges for the competition include Mandy Brouse, co-owner of Words Worth Books in Waterloo, Adrien Côté, a Business Advisor at Velocity, Mohit Muthanna, the Principal Engineer and Director of the Site Reliability Engineering group at Google, Craig Norris, the lead singer for The Kramdens and a host on CBC Radio, and Milaina Wright, the Tournament Director for the Manulife Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA) Classic.

    Audience members will be able to vote for their favourite presenter in the People's Choice category. Winners will be announced at the competition, after a short deliberation period by the judges.

    The University of Waterloo will also be hosting the provincial 3MT competition on April 12.

    Wednesday's notes

    IGNITE logo.The Department of Fine Arts is staging IGNITE, the 43rd annual Senior Undergraduate Exhibition that features artwork by fourth-year honours students completing the Fine Arts undergraduate degree program.

    Representing a diverse range of themes, materials and media, the exhibition reflects both the creativity of the students and the wide-range of studio-based practices they are engaged in.

    Featured artists this year include: Faith Ashford, Danielle Bennett, Thomas Bourque, Nicole Brkic, Cassandra Chortos, Una Chung, Sara Davis, Vivian Diec, Carolyn Diemert, Michelle Dubreuil, Sana Faheemuddin, Jan Fretz, Kayla Frigault, Mélika Hashemi, Clara May Hoover, Shannon Jackson, Nicolette Kemp, Kassia Kooy, Noreen Lardizabal, Kaylee Lock-O'Connor, Jasmine Mander, Neda Moshg, Yasmeen Nematt Alla, Giovanna Ngai, Michelle Passarelli, Erienne Rennick, Shani Rollins, Arvic Serapio, Taylor Singh, Izabella Szabo, Rachel Taylor, Lariana Ustariz, Wynn Yau, Hee-Jung Yi, and Alan Zeberek.

    "IGNITE celebrates four years of studio practice. It encompasses the culmination of all of our efforts and embodies the varying themes and ideas explored by our graduating class,” says a statement from Fine Arts. “IGNITE is an action that represents the spark of a new beginning, one that will inevitably fuel the fires of our future."

    The exhibition runs until Saturday, April 8 at the University of Waterloo Art Gallery in East Campus Hall.

    Human Resources has announced the following staff retirements, effective March 1:

    • May Yan, who joined the University in August 1974, retires as Director, Retail Services;
    • Sandra Avey, who started working at Waterloo in July 1986, retires as Optician in the Optometry clinic;
    • Roger Sanderson, who joined the University in May 1976, retires as Lab Director, Teaching in Electrical and Computer Engineering;
    • Janet-Lynn Metz, who started her career at Waterloo in February 1970, retires as Student Advisor, Co-operative Education and Career Action;
    • Hilda Rottine, who joined the University in January 1980, retires as Custodial Foreperson in Plant Operations;
    • Betty Goral, who started at Waterloo in May 2001, retires as Accounting Co-ordinator at St. Jerome's University;
    • Annette Dandyk, who started at the University in July 1974, retires as Administrative Assistant in the Library; and
    • David Gloor, whose start date was in July 2000, retires as Controls Technician in Plant Operations.

    Congratulations all!

    The cover of The Magnificent Nahanni, showing a mountain.Retired Waterloo Professor Gordon Nelson's new book, The Magnificent Nahanni: The Struggle to Protect a Wild Place, has just been published by the University of Regina Press.

    "It describes the unique wonders of the Valley, mountains, hot springs, Virginia Falls, the four long canyons, limestone karst and rich plant and animal life," says a promotional statement. "It also describes explorations by John McLeod, a Hudson's Bay trader in 1823, and Raymond Patterson, Fenley Hunter and the mysterious Albert Faille in the 1920s and 1930s, among others. The book analyzes the three decade struggle to protect the Nahanni watershed as a national park in 2009 and the remaining mining and other challenges. The role of native people in the history of the watershed and establishment of a national park are recognized along with the needs and opportunities of Indigenous people in the Nahanni National Park Reserve today."

    A retired faculty member in Geography, Professor Nelson served as Dean of what was then known as Environmental Studies (now Environment) from 1975 to 1983.

    University of Waterloo Muslim Chaplain Rania Lawendy will be participating in a free public discussion entitled “Islam Demystified – A Community Town Hall” on Saturday, March 25 at the Kitchener Market. The event is hosted by Kitchener Centre MPP Daiene Vernile. The discussion includes a Q&A and begins at 10:00 a.m. 

    Here's today's Nutrition Month myth vs. fact supplied by Health Services Dietician Sandra Ace:

    Myth:  Gluten-free foods are healthier for most people.

    Fact:  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley and in any food made with these grains. Following a gluten free diet is the only healthy way of eating for people with celiac disease, a lifelong medical condition in which the intestine is damaged by gluten. People with celiac disease, about 1 percent of the Canadian population, must permanently follow a strict gluten free diet.

    Gluten sensitivity or intolerance is a less well-understood condition. The symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity may be similar to those found in celiac disease. However, in non-celiac gluten sensitivity, certain internal disease markers such as specific antibodies found in the blood and intestinal inflammation are absent.  It is possible that rather than the protein in wheat, rye and barley, some people may react to another component of the grain. These grains contain certain carbohydrates that some people don’t digest well. A thorough assessment by a family physician or specialist, including a detailed patient and family history, as well as a diet history is always advised. A blood test and/or an intestinal biopsy to exclude celiac disease may also be recommended. Individuals should not self-diagnose or start a gluten free diet on their own and without medical advice. If a person needs to be tested for celiac disease, the test is only accurate if gluten is being included in the diet.

    Without a medical diagnosis that requires a gluten free diet, there are no clear health benefits to going gluten free. In fact, if you do, you may be giving up some valuable dietary fibre and nutrients including iron and B vitamins. At a meeting last week of the American Heart Association, researchers highlighted the results of three long term studies of nearly 200,000 individuals which found that those with the highest gluten intake had a lower risk of developing diabetes. This may be due to the protective effect of more dietary fibre and additional research is need to confirm these findings. If you have celiac disease or need to follow a special diet for other reasons, a Registered Dietitian can help you to plan healthy, balanced and delicious meals.

    Link of the day

    World Water Day

    When and where

    NEW - IGNITE, the 43rd Annual Senior Undergraduate Exhibition, Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, April 8, University of Waterloo Art Gallery.

    Sustainable Campus Photo Contest, Monday, March 20 – Friday, April 21, across campus.

    World Water Day, Wednesday, March 22, Wilfrid Laurier University Lazaridis Hall.

    The Book Store 30-40-50 sale, Wednesday, March 22, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., SCH Concourse. Select books are 50 percent off today.

    Research Opportunities with Germany, Wednesday, March 22, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., William G. Davis Computer Research Centre (DC 1304). Please register.

    Translating Academic Experience to Industry for PhDs/Postdocs, Wednesday, March 22, 10:00 a.m., TC - William M. Tatham Centre room 1208.

    Exploring Your Personality Type – Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Part 2, Wednesday, March 22, 10:30 a.m., TC - William M. Tatham Centre room 1112.

    WISE seminar featuring Professor Josh Taylor, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, "Leveraging Energy Storage and Demand Response in Power System Operations," Wednesday, March 22, 10:30 a.m., EIT 3142.

    Paving the way for excellent dementia care and support: A three-part education initiative: “Enhancing communication in dementia care,” Wednesday, March 22, 11:30 a.m., DC 1302.

    How to be an Exceptional Employee, Wednesday, March 22, 2:30 p.m., TC - William M. Tatham Centre room 1208

    Velocity Start: The Startup Rollercoaster, Wednesday, March 22, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

    Hagey Lecture: “Memory and the Aging Brain,” featuring Carol Barnes, Wednesday, March 22, 8:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

    Hagey Lecture Student Colloquium, "The ‘Young Field’ of Neuroscience: One senior scientist’s retrospective," with Dr. Carol Barnes, Thursday, March 23, 10:00 a.m., LHI 1620.

    School of Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Daniel Alan Spielman, “The Laplacian Matrices of Graphs: Algorithms and Applications,” Thursday, March 23, 3:30 p.m., DC 1302.

    Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) finals, Thursday, March 23, 3:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts.

    Gendered Violence on Campus: Institutional Policy and Practice, Thursday, March 23, 3:30 p.m., QNC 0101.

    UUfie - Recent Projects, Thursday, March 23, 6:00 p.m., Cummings Lecture Theatre, School of Architecture. 

    Research Talks presents Colourful X-rays featuring Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Karim S. Karim, Friday, March 24, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please register. Seating is limited.

    Knowledge Integration seminar: “Building smarter organizations”, featuring Gordon Vala-Webb, Friday, March 24, 2:30 p.m., EV3-1408.

    NEW - Book launch event featuring author Norm Klassen in conversation with Chad Wriglesworth, Friday, March 24, 7:00 p.m., Newman Centre, Guelph.

    Further Education Boot Camp, Saturday, March 25, 10:00 a.m., TC 2218.

    Canadian Interdisciplinary Vision Rehabilitation Conference, Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, School of Optometry and Vision Science.

    NEW - UW Chamber Choir Concert, “150 Eh!: Celebrating Canada and its Composers,” Saturday, March 25, 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, 22 Willow Street West.

    NEW - Instrumental Chamber Ensembles performance, Sunday, March 26, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

    Waterloo Store End-of-Term Clearance

, Monday, March 27 to Wednesday, March 29, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., SCH Concourse.

    NEW - UWRC presents “Mindfulness Meditation: Resilience, Monday, March 27, 12:00 to 1:00 pm, MC 5501.

    NEW - Senate meeting, Monday, March 27, 3:30 p.m., NH 3407.

    Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: Identifying Critical Steps for Canadian Impact, featuring Dr. Jeffrey Sachs and his wife Dr. Sonia Elrich Sachs, Tuesday, March 28, 11:00 a.m., Federation Hall.

    TD Walter Bean Lecture in Environment featuring Jeffrey Sachs, "Rising Nationalism versus Global Cooperation for Sustainable Development," Tuesday, March 28, 5:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

    CBB Workshop: UWaterloo Intellectual Property Part 4 -Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Industrial Designs, Wednesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m., QNC 1501.

    Documenting Your Teaching for Tenure and Promotion (CTE908), Wednesday, March 29, 11:45 a.m., NH 3407. Please register.

    NEW - Indigenous Speaker Series presents Sylvia McAdam, “Nationhood Interrupted: Revitalizing nêhiyaw Legal Systems,” Wednesday, March 29, 4:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages.

    Beyond 60 Lecture: From Connected to Autonomous, Wednesday, March 29, 6:00 p.m., University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

    NEW - University of Waterloo Balinese Gamelan Ensemble, Wednesday, March 29,  7:30 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

    Green Office Energy Challenge, Thursday, March 30 to Friday, April 21, across campus.

    Velocity Fund Finals, Thursday, March 30, 11:00 a.m., SLC Great Hall.

    Conflicts and agreements: Canada’s foundations and their consequences, Friday March 31, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., STC 0010. Refreshments and displays at 6:15 p.m.

    NEW - UW A Cappella Club Winter 2017 EOT Concert, Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, 7:30 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

    NEW - University Choir, “Shadows & Light,” Saturday, April 1, 7:30 p.m., First United Church, 16 William Street West.

    NEW - UW Jazz ensemble performance, Sunday, April 2, 2:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel Great Hall.

    NEW - Instrumental Chamber Ensembles performance, Sunday, April 2, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

    NEW - Lectures end, Monday, April 3.

    NEW - Pre-examination study days, Tuesday, April 4 to Thursday, April 6.

    Home Energy Efficiency Lunch and Learn, Tuesday, April 4, 12:00 p.m., EV3-3412.

    NEW - Board of Governors meeting, Tuesday, April 4, 1:30 p.m., NH 3407.

    St. Paul's GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase, Wednesday, April 5, 4:00 p.m., Alumni Hall, St. Paul’s University College.

    Paths to Success, Thursday, April 6, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Quantum Nano Centre (Room 2502). Please register.

    Faculty Association Spring General Meeting, Thursday, April 6, 12:00 p.m., QNC 1502.

    NEW - The Naked Truth: Advertising’s Image of Women: Public lecture by Dr. Jean Kilbourne, hosted by the SMF Department and St. Jerome’s HeForShe, Thursday, April 6, 1:30 p.m., Vanstone Lecture Hall SJ2 1004.

    NEW - SMF Research Symposium: Multidisciplinary presentations on sexuality, relationships, and family, hosted by the SMF Department, Thursday, April 6, 2017, 8:30 a.m., St. Jerome’s University, Academic Centre (SJ2), registration required.

    NEW - Examinations begin, Friday, April 7.

    NEW - Online course examination days, Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8.

    Positions available

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

    • Job ID# 2017-1494 – Communications Specialist – School of Pharmacy, USG 8
    • Job ID# 2017-1540 – Presentation Technologies, Implementation and Support – Information Systems & Technology, USG 6
    • Job ID# 2017-1544 – Research Finance Coordinator – Electrical & Computer Engineering, USG 7
    • Job ID# 2017-1535 – Shift Manager, Custodial – Plant Operations, USG 9
    • Job ID# 2017-1452 – Strategic Enrolment Manager – Associate VP Academic Programs, USG 11

    Internal secondment opportunity:

    • Job ID# 2017-1543 – Coordinator, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards – Graduate Studies Office, USG 8