Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Mathematician Cathy O'Neil to deliver 2018 Hagey Lecture

The Hagey Lectures committee is excited to announce that Cathy O'Neil will deliver the next Hagey Lecture on February 7, 2018. Cathy O’Neil is the author of the blog mathbabe.org and the New York Times best-selling Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, which was a semifinalist for the National Book Award.

O'Neil earned a PhD in math from Harvard, was a postdoctoral fellow in the MIT math department, and a professor at Barnard College where she published a number of research papers in arithmetic algebraic geometry. She then switched over to the private sector, working as a quantitative analyst for the hedge fund D.E. Shaw in the middle of the credit crisis, and then for RiskMetrics, a risk software company that assesses risk for the holdings of hedge funds and banks. She left finance in 2011 and started working as a data scientist in the New York start-up scene, building models that predicted people’s purchases and clicks.

The Hagey Lectures are a joint project of the Faculty Association and the Office of the President. Past lecturers include Roberta Bondar, Ursula Franklin, David Suzuki, and Margaret Atwood.

More details about the talk will be available on the Hagey Lectures website in the near future.

Recapping Reunion 2017

By Alumni Relations

Reunion 2017 was an amazing success with 4,600 attendees joining in on the festivities.

This year’s Reunion joined the University of Waterloo’s milestone as it celebrates 60 years of innovation and we are thrilled to have seen so many come out and celebrate with us. You are an important part of the University of Waterloo story and help set a course for the next 60 years.

Reunion welcomed a large audience of not only alumni but also students, faculty, staff and community members. Trivia Night at the Bomber kicked off the weekend as a pre-party for the 60^th Anniversary Reunion Concert with A Tribe Called Red on Friday night. Saturday featured exciting events including a spirited AHS Fun Run with participants dressed in their most innovative running gear and costumes, faculty events with exhibits and interactive tours, cheering on the Warriors at the Alumni VIP Tent, and The President’s Milestone Luncheon with President and Vice-Chancellor, Feridun Hamdullahpur, offering attendees the opportunity to relive their greatest university memories and celebrate their milestone years.

A special thank you is extended to our campus partners and volunteers. They were instrumental in making our events another success. Thank you for all that you do.   

We look forward to seeing everyone out next year on Saturday, September 22, 2018 to celebrate our next Reunion. Mark your calendars now and start planning your reunions!

For a full recap of the day, visit the Reunion Storify and check out our photos on Facebook.

Professional School & Post-degree Day coming to SLC

The Centre for Career Action (CCA)’s annual Professional School & Post-degree (PPD) Day will take place on October 26 in the Student Life Centre Great Hall and Multi-Purpose Room. This event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will focus on education, health, pharmacy, optometry, social work, college post-degree/certificate programs, MBA, law, engineering/technologies, veterinary and graduate programs.

Representatives from more than 90 institutions will interact with students and alumni to answer questions about career options, graduate school admission requirements, program specifics and application procedures and deadlines.

CCA also offers individual appointments to provide information about the grad/professional school application process, review of applications and mock grad/professional school interviews on an ongoing basis. Students, alumni and staff can book their appointments through the CCA website. 

For more information about PPD Day, please contact Gillian McKenzie-Yorke at gmckenzieyorke@uwaterloo.ca.

Remembering Maria Bandura

Co-operative Education and Career Action is mourning the loss of Maria Bandura, who died on September 21.

After working casually for CECA for three years, Bandura joined the department full-time in January 2012 and worked as a Service Representative in CECA, staffing the information desk inside the Tatham Centre. "During that time, Maria proved to be consistently dedicated, hardworking, and helpful to both students/employers and colleagues," says a statement by her colleagues. "She was not only a mother to her family, but a work mother to our team as well – always remembering birthdays, celebrating our small victories, and so thoughtful in little ways every day. Maria’s caring and gentle nature was a blessing to her friends and colleagues. Her quiet sense of humor and her willingness to share her life is missed by all."   

Maria is survived by her spouse Patrick and her four children Tim, Lesia, Zac, and Catherine.

"Maria was one person who genuinely cared about the students she served and the staff that she worked with," writes another colleague. "I was encouraged by her kindness on days when I felt low and Maria would lift my heart and would make me smile with a story she would share about her kids! She had an unbeguiling way of life."

Wednesday's notes

There will be a utility shutdown in the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre on Sunday, October 15 from 6:00 a.m. to 12:01 p.m. affecting the entire building. Cold water, hot water, and the sprinkler system will all be out of commission as maintenance is carried out.

The University Club will be hosting Convocation lunches for the Fall 2017 Convocation ceremonies on Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Colleagues of four Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering professors—Grzegorz Glinka, Robert Varin, David Weckman and John Wright—will be celebrating their upcoming retirements at a reception in the Columbia Room at Fed Hall on Thursday, November 2. RSVP to Jen Skinner by sending an email to jen.skinner@uwaterloo.ca.

Employers on campus next week hosting employer information sessions include Redfin, PWC, DRI Capital, 8VC, Spin Master Ltd. , Traderev, Sensibill, PSP Investments, AdeptMind Inc., Axon, Hootsuite, League Inc., McKesson Canada, BlackBerry Limited, Stripe, TJX Canada, Rubikloud Technologies and ArcelorMittal Defasco. Visit the employer information sessions calendar for more details.

Human Resources has announced the following employee retirements, effective September 1, 2017:

• Janet Walker, who started at Waterloo in September 2002, retired as Food Services Assistant and Cook at Conrad Grebel University College;
• Nicolette Carlan, who joined the University in March 2010, retired as Project Co-ordinator in the School of Public Health and Health Systems;

• Phyllis Diebolt, who began working at Waterloo in February 1988, retired as AMS Prep/Tritium Technician/Office Assistant in Earth and Environmental Sciences/Environmental Isotope Lab;

• Heather Dorken, who started at the University in July 1998, retired as Undergraduate Advisor and Administrative Assistant in Geography and Environmental Management;

• Shirley Fraser, who joined the University in August 1998, retired as Library Associate, IBIS and Resource Sharing in the University Library;

• Pam Waechter, who started at Waterloo in August 1980, retired as Career Advisor in the Centre for Career Action;

• Judi Jewinski, who began working at the University in September 1977, retired as Administrative Dean at Renison University;

• Marg Stephenson, who joined Waterloo in May 1990, retired as Manager, Enterprise Systems in IST;

• Joanne Hall, who started at the University in August 1988, retired as Manager, Records in Advancement;

• Donald Mousseau, who began working at Waterloo in May 2000, retired as Stationary Engineering in Plant Operations;

• Kelly Boucher, who joined the University in May 2007, retired as Student Advisor in CECA; and

• Linda Youngblut, who started her career at Waterloo in October 1977 and retired as Undergraduate Advisor and Program Administrator in the School of Planning.

Human Resources also announced the following faculty retirements, effective September 1, 2017:

• Dr. Elisabeth Daub, who started at Waterloo in July 2005, retired as Continuing Lecturer in Chemistry;
• Dr. Murray Turnour, who joined the University in February 2012, retired as IOBP Director in the School of Optometry and Vision Science;
• Professor David Weckman, who started at Waterloo in May 1983 as Assistant Professor and retired as Professor in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering; and
• Professor Paula Smith, who joined the University in September 2007 and retired as Definite Term Lecturer in the Office of the Dean of Mathematics;

Congratulations to all!