Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
I hope by now, most of you have had a chance to take a vacation before we enter the fall semester. For many of us, this summer was the first time in three years that we could travel to make holiday memories, attend conferences or other learning events, and collaborate with scholars in person.
We are cautiously living with COVID and life seems to be returning to a level of normalcy. Even though I know there will be new variants and potential new upticks in infection, we appear to have enough immunity and information about this virus, as well as some tools, to be able to move on with our lives. This provides for me an overall sense of well-being.
Throughout the summer, our Faculty has also been busy planning for the coming year. I look forward to meeting many of you this fall at various events where we welcome new and current students, staff and faculty back to campus.
See you in September!
Lili Liu
News I Events I Did you know?
NEWS
Funding spotlight: Dr. Nikolas Knowles
Congratulations to Dr. Nikolas Knowles (KHS) for receiving a Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund award, worth $100,000. The grant will fund an electrodynamic testing frame that allows for the advanced mechanical testing of tissues. Knowles’ project, Development of a Comprehensive Laboratory for Evaluation of Tissue Mechanics, aims to improve our understanding of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis that affects millions of people worldwide.
Funding spotlight: Sarah Sousa and Jeremy Cohen
Doctoral students Sarah Sousa (SPHS) and Jeremy Cohen (KHS) have received AGE-WELL-UW Faculty of Health Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Awards in Technology and Aging. Sousa's supervisor is Dr. Kelly Skinner, while Cohen's is Dr. Jason Au. The total value of each award is $15,000. Congratulations!
New faculty members starting in September
Dr. Sheereen Harris and Dr. Alan Cudlip are joining the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences in September. Harris is a tenure-track professor with research expertise in mental fatigue, physical activity and effort-based decision-making. She earned her MSc and PhD degrees from McMaster, with postdoctoral training at Brock University. Cudlip, a Waterloo Kinesiology PhD graduate, is a new two-year definite-term lecturer who was most recently a postdoctoral fellow, also at Brock. Welcome, both.
Administrative change in RLS
With the upcoming retirement of Sandy Heise, the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies' long-time administrative officer, Anton Trinh has joined the department to transition into this role. Previously, he had worked in Kinesiology and Health Sciences and most recently in Co-operative Education.
KHS administrative changes
Dr. Steven Fischer has moved from the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies position to Associate Chair, Applied Research, Partnerships and Outreach, with Dr. Michael Barnett-Cowan stepping into the Graduate Studies role. Also, Julia Fraser is returning from parental leave to the Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence (CCCARE). Cheryl Kieswetter is also returning from leave.
Natalie Chow returns as CTE liaison
Natalie Chow, the Faculty's Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) liaison, is back from parental leave. She supports a variety of teaching and learning initiatives, including course design, assessment design, educational technology and teaching communities. Please reach out to her for guidance on your questions related to teaching and learning. Welcome back, and many thanks to Laura Williams for taking on the role during this leave.
September Wellness bingo prize is $50 to Galaxy Cinemas
Wellness Bingo is open to everyone in the Faculty in an effort to promote healthy habits and behaviours. Download the September bingo card here. When you complete a line, send a picture to health.wellbeing@uwaterloo.ca to be entered for a monthly prize draw. This month, it's a $50 gift card to Galaxy Cinemas. Congratulation to the July winner, grad student Tamara DeSouza! Wellness Bingo is organized by the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being.
Orientation: August 31-September 9
Please encourage new undergraduate students to take part in Orientation events between September 2 and 9, including some specific Faculty of Health events such as Dean’s Lunch, Explore the Outback (our new Get-Involved Fair) and Have Your Program Explained (H.Y.P.E.). There are also specific Orientation sessions for international students from August 31-September 2, and graduate student Orientation is on September 5. These sessions are designed to help facilitate the transition to university.
Retirement party for Dr. Paul Stolee: September 19
Please join the School of Public Health Sciences in celebrating Dr. Paul Stolee's accomplishments and successful career with the Faculty of Health. A presentation and speeches will take place on September 19 at 3:30 p.m. in Fed Hall, with a reception at 4:30 p.m. There is also a virtual option, but we encourage in-person attendance. Please RSVP in advance. We have created a group card; please sign, starting with the sentence “I remember when…..”. In lieu of personal gifts, Stolee asks that you consider donating to the Faculty of Health fund.
Pow Wow 101: September 19
What is a Pow Wow, and what happens at one? Settlers and Indigenous people are invited to a Pow Wow 101 session with Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Myeengun Henry on September 19 between 2 and 4 p.m. in the Indigenous Gathering Space (LHI 3701). Look out for more details in the coming days, and mark your calendars for Waterloo's Pow Wow on September 23 in the Columbia Icefield (CIF).
TRC learning circle: September 25
Elder Myeengun Henry will also host a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) learning circle on Monday, September 25 to talk about reconciliation and the significance of a campus walk on Friday, September 29 for National Truth and Reconciliation Day. Details will be available shortly.
Black and Gold Fest: September 30
Join alumni for this year's Black and Gold events, including Yoga in the Field House (10 a.m.), the Warriors Welcome Tent and facility tours (10:30 a.m.), and the Waterloo vs. Guelph men's football game at 1 p.m. For details, cost and registration, please visit the Black and Gold Fest website.
LITE Seed grant applications: Due October 2
The next deadline for the LITE Seed grant program is October 2. LITE Seed grants, valued up to $7,500, fund research projects that investigate innovative approaches to enhancing teaching and fostering deep student learning at Waterloo. See the Centre for Teaching Excellence site for details.
Faculty of Health Book Club: October 4
The next Faculty of Health Book Club will be held October 4. It is open to anyone in the Faculty during lunch hour in BMH 3119. The group will be discussing Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. For more information, please contact Gaby McInnis.
DID YOU KNOW?
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The Faculty and University will be observing National Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 29, since the 30th is a Saturday. The Office of Indigenous Relations is leading events for this day, so keep an eye out for them.
Correction
The last issue incorrectly said that Samantha Meyer’s term as Associate Director, Research Graduate Studies ends in June 2024, when it should have said 2025. We apologize for this error.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.