Monday, March 18, 2019

Keystone spotlight: Professor Diana Parry

by Claire Taylor, Keystone Volunteer Communications Committee

In 2003, Diana Parry accepted a tenure position at the University of Waterloo and began her journey as a proud member of the Waterloo community. As a faculty member in one of the world’s greatest recreation and leisure departments, Parry felt an immediate connection to the institution and was inclined to find a meaningful way to give back to the place that was creating amazing opportunities for herself and her students.

Parry became a Keystone Campaign donor after hearing about the opportunity through fellow faculty members and colleagues on campus and learning about the many campus initiatives the Keystone Campaign supports. Parry is very intentional about the charities she gives to and the opportunity to support the incredible students she encounters daily resonated with her. When speaking about the calibre of Waterloo students she has crossed paths with over the years, Diana beams with pride. “I am so proud to be teaching at Waterloo. The students are second to none and produce world-class research.”

With her nephew having started his first year as an undergraduate this fall, Parry is thrilled to have a family member on campus, experiencing first-hand everything the University has to offer. Looking forward, she cannot wait for his convocation, as it is one of her favourite days on campus.

The University’s commitment to equity resonates strongly with Professor Parry, which is no surprise given her research expertise and role. Diana admires the Waterloo spirit our campus brings to equity and the goodwill and energy put toward addressing equity on campus. “Equity isn’t a woman’s issue, it’s an everybody issue and I am so thankful for President Hamdullahpur’s leadership and positivity.”

As a Faculty member, Parry is proud to work alongside so many talented people. She sees firsthand the commitment, leadership and positivity that they bring to the campus and the classroom, and sees the drive and determination they have to ensure our students’ success. Knowing that her contribution to the Keystone Campaign is helping the Waterloo community thrive, Diana is motivated to continue dedicating her time and efforts to her students, research and equity work on campus.

Tenure and promotion prep workshop next week

Registration is open for a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) workshop entitled Documenting Your Teaching for Tenure and Promotion (CTE9908) that will take place on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in NH 3407 (the Board and Senate Room).

“Tenure and promotion are critical milestones in a faculty member's career,” says a note from the CTE. “You need to collect evidence and document your successes in research, teaching, and service for various individuals and committees to assess. Although many faculty are well prepared to document their research and even service, evidence of good teaching can be more difficult to provide. You will learn about best practices used at other institutions - primarily the teaching dossier - for you to use or adapt in relation to the criteria identified by your Department Chair or School Director. There will be time for questions throughout the session.”

The event will feature a panel discussion including:

• Brian Kendall (Earth and Environmental Sciences)
• Elise Lepage (French Studies)
• Katie Misener (Recreation and Leisure Studies) and
• Trevor Holmes (Centre for Teaching Excellence/Women's Studies)

Associate Vice-President Academic Mario Coniglio will moderate the discussion. Lunch will be sponsored by the Education Credit Union (vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options will be provided).

The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 19. 

Velocity Fund $5K finalists named

The Velocity Fund Finals $5K will take place on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre. Ten University of Waterloo students will pitch their innovative startups for the chance to win a $5K grant to help bring their idea to life and build a business.

This winter we are extremely lucky to host special guest speaker Ted Livingston who has been influential in the success of Velocity and the creation of the fund. Ted is the Founder of chat platform Kik (a member of tech’s billion-dollar unicorn club) and before the pitches begin he will be sitting down for a candid fireside chat with Velocity Director, Jay Shah. This will be an excellent opportunity to hear about Ted’s journey from student to CEO.

Lunch is provided (first-come, first-serve), and audience members will have the chance to network with all ten finalists after the winners are announced.

Register to attend here. Can’t make it in person? We will also be livestreaming on Facebook.

The $5K finalists are:

• Animus, which is creating a pair of glasses that discretely integrates neuro-stimulation technology into the frame, allowing for non-invasive stimulation of deep brain regions without affecting surrounding structures.
• CannaRemedies, which is creating Cannabidiol (CBD) nano-particles to produce ultrafast pain relief patches.
• Forsa, a project management tool that allows renovators and homeowners to collaborate on projects together.
• Mingo, a patient entertainment experience to reduce boredom and pain during medical procedures.
• PhosphoPOWER Group, which is seeking to make renewables the primary source of energy generation in the world through the Ocean Battery.
• Pulse Home, a panelized construction technology developed in partnership with Canadian Indigenous communities that address the housing crisis on reserves.
• Reka, which aims to bridge the gap between natural communication and communication using speech synthesis devices to improve the speed and quality of speech.
• Stellar Care, which is developing a mobile application to improve the home care nursing experience for families of children with medical complexities.
• TagBull, a mobile-first dataset labeling platform.
• Voice Outside Your Head Space (Voyhs) gives trans people the resources to train their voice in order to boost their confidence and improve their lives.

Educational Technologies Week and other notes

The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is once again hosting its annual Educational Technologies Week, which is "an opportunity for Waterloo’s instructors to focus more intensively on teaching development and technologies for promoting deep learning."

The University of Edinburgh's Ian Pirie will be delivering a keynote address this morning at 10:00 a.m. in EC5 1111 entitled "Transformative Learning and the potential of digital technologies."

There is an entire week's worth of Educational Technologies Week activities - check the calendar on the CTE's website for more information.

Tickets are still available for the 2019 Hagey Lecture, which will feature John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria, speaking on "Living Indigenous Law in Canada."

Borrows blends Anishinaabe stories, language, theories and practices with analysis of Canadian law and constitutional practices to illustrate the possibilities and limits of the seven grandmother/grandfather teachings: love, truth, bravery, humility, wisdom, honesty and respect. A catered reception will follow the lecture, during which some of Borrows' books will be available for purchase. The Hagey Lectures are jointly presented by the Faculty Association and the University of Waterloo.

The Hagey Lecture takes place on March 25 at 7:00 p.m. in Federation Hall.

Tickets are available at hageylecture19.ticketfi.com.

"We are celebrating our students' talents and accomplishments in our most exciting Project Showcase yet!" says a note from the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business. "Meet our students, mingle with our faculty, industry and community partners and see what incredible work is coming out of the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business."

The showcase event takes place on Tuesday, April 2. The Christie® Design Projection Mapping Awards presentations will kick off the event at 4:00 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar will be available.

Here's the latest Nutrition Month "myth vs. fact" supplied by Health Services Dietitian Sandra Ace:

Claim:  "Multigrain” breads are the best choices. 

Evidence:  Choosing bread can be confusing but knowing how to read the label can help you figure out which breads are the most nutritious choices. Multi-grain products are made with more than one grain; they may or may not be whole grains. A whole grain flour includes the entire grain kernel, including the bran and the germ, where many of the nutrients are found. Whole grains have a higher amount of fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, naturally occurring plant compounds considered to be beneficial to human health. Research shows that a diet that includes whole grains is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.

To make sure your bread is made with whole grains, check the ingredient list for the words “whole grain” in front of each grain name. Bread or other baked goods labelled as 100 percent whole wheat are not necessarily whole grain products; some of the bran and germ may have been removed when the grain was ground into flour. When reading the ingredients, look for the words “whole grain whole wheat” or “whole grain whole wheat flour including the germ.” If whole grains are the main ingredients they should appear at the top of the list.

Health eating guidelines encourage people of all ages to include a variety of whole grains. While a 100 percent whole grain bread is the most nutritious, if you sometimes like to eat a crusty baguette, ciabatta or other bread made with white flour, go right ahead and enjoy!