Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Wear a sports jersey Thursday to support the Humboldt Broncos

In the wake of the tragic crash that occurred this past weekend in Saskatchewan involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, the University of Waterloo is encouraging students, faculty and staff to join a cross-Canada initiative by wearing a sports jersey to school or work on Thursday, April 12.

Fifteen people died after a collision on Friday, April 6 between the hockey team’s bus and a tractor-trailer near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.

In response to the tragedy, a group of hockey parents in British Columbia started the Jersey Day campaign to show support for the victims of the crash and their families, let them know they are not alone in their grief, and that the entire country is behind them.

“At its best, the world of sport provides us with a galvanizing platform based on camaraderie and as the country rallies to support the Humboldt community, we can see how we are all part of a larger team that leans on one another during some of life’s most difficult moments,” says Roly Webster, director of athletics and recreation. “On behalf of the Waterloo Warriors and our students who call Saskatchewan home, I invite you to join us on Thursday by wearing a hockey or sports jersey in support of this show of solidarity with the families of the Humboldt Broncos.”

Follow along with the campaign on social media using the hashtag #jerseysforhumboldt.

There is a GoFundMe initiative underway to support affected families and individuals.

Cisco Canada, Waterloo partner to advance 5G tech

Yesterday, the University of Waterloo and Cisco Canada announced a collaboration to advance research in the area of 5G technology.

Cisco Canada leadership, University of Waterloo students, faculty, researchers and staff, and local politicians gathered at the Sedra Student Design Centre to make the announcement and celebrate the partnership.

“As the impact of wireless technology continues to expand, it’s imperative that we understand the capabilities of 5G technology and what it will mean for the world,” said President Feridun Hamdullahpur. “Our work with an industry leader on this technology will help us understand the wider impacts of this technology and how it will disrupt the way we live.”

The collaboration has created a Cisco Research Chair in 5G systems, a position dedicated to exploring ways to improve wireless technology. The Chair will be held by Catherine Rosenberg, a Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Canada Research Chair in the Future Internet.

Cisco’s support also includes cash contributions to the Global Entrepreneurship and Disruptive Innovation (GEDI) initiative and the Problem Lab, and Cisco Spark Collaboration technology.

Waterloo launches artificial intelligence institute

Waterloo Engineering's resident robot "Nao" reacts during the AI institute panel discussion that featured Minister of Innovation, Science and Academic Development Navdeep Bains.

A new institute at the University of Waterloo will focus on fostering campus-wide research into artificial intelligence (AI) and provide a portal for organizations to access its extensive expertise in the rapidly growing field.

Officially launched last week, the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute will bring together almost 100 faculty members to tackle practical and fundamental problems brought to them by partners in business, government and the non-profit sector.

The institute, which will also collaborate with several existing institutes in Canada and the United States, was announced at an event attended by dignitaries including Navdeep Bains, the federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

 “We see this as an economic opportunity,” said Bains. “We're making a big bet on research, but we're also focusing on commercialization.”

President Feridun Hamdullahpur said the institute is the culmination of work that started long before AI became a hot topic.

“We didn't wake up one morning and decide, like many other institutions, that we should have some sort of focus on AI,” he told a few hundred guests at the Sedra Student Design Centre. “This happened here organically.”

Pearl Sullivan, dean of engineering, put the importance of AI in perspective as she kicked off a panel discussion featuring government, academic and business leaders.

“This is going to impact our businesses, our economy and our lives,” she said.

A joint venture of the engineering and mathematics faculties, the institute will also include researchers from applied health sciences, environment and science, and be affiliated with almost 40 existing research labs, centres and institutes.

In addition to an emphasis on work driven by the real needs of industry, the institute is distinguished by a mandate to cover a full range of research from foundational to operational AI.

“Industry collaboration has long been one of the major strengths of the University of Waterloo and we continue in that tradition through the institute's many planned activities,” said Fakhri Karray, an electrical and computer engineering professor who is co-director of the new AI institute.

“We want to make sure that the efforts and work being done by our professors, researchers and students shine to the outside world and benefit society.”

Foundational AI involves primarily abstract research, such as the design of powerful new algorithms in the field of machine learning, while operational AI is concerned with adapting existing tools and techniques for applications that may not require a tether to cloud computing resources.

“The synergy of these two areas – operational AI and foundational AI – will help us solve new problems that industry and the public sector bring to us,” said Peter van Beek, a computer science professor who is the institute’s other co-director.

Estimates suggest AI will contribute up to $15.7 trillion a year to the global economy by 2030, prompting the Canadian government to identify it as a key to innovation that will create good middle-class jobs.

Waterloo experts are concentrating on new areas of research with significant business and societal impact. Included are AI applications in health care, environmental protection, supply chain, urban planning, manufacturing, finance, autonomous vehicles and human-machine interaction.

Read more on Waterloo Stories.