Monday, July 30, 2018

Psychology professor honoured for lifetime achievement

This is an excerpt of an article that was originally featured on the Faculty of Arts news site.

With a well-established, 25-year academic career at the University of Toronto, Colin MacLeod made a surprising change in 2003 by joining the cognitive area in the University of Waterloo’s Department of Psychology.

“U of T was a great place to be and I would have happily spent my entire career there, had I not met Ramona,” says MacLeod, “It’s been a very productive and happy 15 years.” Ramona Bobocel, MacLeod’s partner and colleague, is a professor in Psychology's industrial/organizational area.

A key to that happiness is surely the boundless interest MacLeod takes in his research and teaching in cognitive psychology, specifically in his areas of attention, learning, and memory. And perhaps administrative leadership is part of it too, as MacLeod will soon complete a seven-year tenure as chair of one of Canada’s largest and most productive psychology departments.

This month, MacLeod is receiving the highest honour from the Canadian Psychological Association with the presentation of its Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Lifetime Contributions to Canadian Psychology. The award celebrates outstanding Canadian psychologists who have dedicated their careers to advancing the field nationally and globally.

Receiving a lifetime achievement award, however, does not necessarily mean that MacLeod is retiring from the lab and classroom any time soon. “I always feel that getting up and going to work is a privilege,” he says.

Read the full story on the Faculty of Arts news site.

The plug will be pulled on Environment 1 in August

A message from the Faculty of Environment.

As the result of a planned infrastructure upgrade for Environment 1 (EV1) there will be a full electrical shutdown of EV1 from August 6 to 24, during which time the building will be closed to all faculty, staff and students. We assume students using laptops will make use of our open student study spaces listed below. General use labs will also be available:

Open Student Study Space:

• EV2–2001;
• EV3–3402; and
• EV3-4402

General use labs open 24/7:

• EV2-1011; and
• EV2-1004

Occupants of EV1 are responsible for ensuring any computer equipment remaining has been properly shut down.

All fridges must be emptied of their contents and the doors left propped open prior to the shutdown.

There will be additional communications regarding the shutdown in the lead up to the date and notices will be posted on all external doors to EV1 prior to the shutdown.

Thank you for your co-operation.

If you have any questions, please contact Neil Carnegie, Facilities & Space Planning Specialist, Faculty of Environment at ext. 37672 or via email at ncarnegie@uwaterloo.ca.

CTE relocates; remembering retirees

The Centre for Teaching Excellence's offices have moved from EV1 to East Campus 3 (EC3), where the Centre will be sharing the second floor with the Centre for Extended Learning. CTE will continue to offer their regular programs and services from their temporary space in EC3 and workshop rooms (locations to be announced) over the next year. CTE’s Faculty Liaisons will remain in their current locations. The search for a permanent home for CTE is underway, and the Centre expects to move to a permanent location in August 2019.

Read more about CTE's temporary relocation. 

Grayce Forristal, a retiree from the Faculty of Mathematics, passed away on July 24. Forristal started working at the University in May 1968 and retired in July 1988 as Secretary in the Office of the Dean of Mathematics. Visitation is at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home today from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The service will then begin at 2:30 p.m. with a reception to follow.

Human Resources has reported that retiree Phyllis Davidson died on July 22. Davidson started at the University in May 1988 and retired in August 1995 as Custodian II in Plant Operations.

Human Resources has also reported that retiree Joan Wood died on July 19. Wood began working at the University in January 1982 and retired in July 1996 as Switchboard Operator in Telephone Services.