Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
As we approach the end of 2023, I would like to thank you for your individual and collective contributions to make the Faculty of Health the special community that we are. The year continued to challenge us with the effects of COVID, hate-motivated crime on our own campus, geopolitical tensions, war and ever-increasing evidence of food and housing insecurity among our student populations.
During times like this, what helps me is to observe optimism and hope on individual levels. I have been heartened to see co-op students striving to be their best and showing joy for daily accomplishments. I was inspired to dine with our AHSUM leaders who support their peers despite pressing and competing demands on their own time. I feel pride to witness the numerous accolades of our grad students and faculty members for their teaching and research performances. And I feel lucky to be surrounded by so many caring and hard-working staff members who support our academic and service missions.
To each of you, I am grateful. My greatest wish is that you will all get plenty of rest and relaxation and time with people most important to you.
I hope that you will enter 2024 feeling rejuvenated,
Lili Liu
News I Events I Did you know?
NEWS
SPHS students win World Evaluation Case Competition
Congratulations to these five School of Public Health Sciences students who won first place at the World Evaluation Case Competition! Their task was to create an evaluation proposal for a Clean Start Africa program called Circles of Healing, whose goal is to psychologically support and reintegrate women and children affected by imprisonment in Kenya. The group was supervised by Drs. Jennifer Yessis and Kelly Skinner.
CJ Cargill wins 2024 TALS Future Scholars award
Recreation and Leisure Studies master's student CJ Cargill is the recipient of the Academy of Leisure Sciences' (TALS) Future Scholars award, whose aim is to provide continuing scholars a chance to meet outstanding researchers in recreation and leisure studies. As a Future Scholar, Cargill will receive $1,000 to attend the upcoming TALS conference and be assigned a faculty mentor from another institution. Congratulations!
Employee Engagement Survey response rates
Thank you to all who participated in the 2023 Employee Engagement Survey, which closed on December 8. Our Faculty achieved a response rate of 50 per cent, which is higher than the previous survey conducted in 2019. Overall University participation was 55 per cent. The participation rates for Health reflect a 53 per cent response rate from faculty, 9 per cent from postdocs and research associates, and 57 per cent from staff. Feedback from the survey is a valuable tool in the creation of action plans to enhance the work environment and culture at the University.
January Wellness Bingo prize is $50 to Adventure Guide
Wellness Bingo encourages healthy habits and behaviours and is open to anyone in the Faculty of Health! 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 Adventure Guide. Download the January bingo card here. Congratulations to the December winner, Tamara DeSouza! Wellness Bingo is organized by the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being.
Holiday building shutdown
As in previous years, all buildings on campus will be locked during the holiday break beginning 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 22 and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2. Please contact your chair/director or Julie Cassaubon if you require access to our buildings over the holiday break.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Abstracts for International Conference on Targeting in Academia: January 8
This interdisciplinary conference, to be held June 27-29, will bring together scholars from a variety of fields across academia with a focus on the subject of responding to antagonistic and intimidating reactions to academic research. These responses are often directed to those whose emphasis is on social justice scholarship. If you wish to submit a conference abstract, please send it to Lana Gonzalez Balyk and Suzan Ilcan by January 8.
CBB Seed Funding deadline: January 10
Three priority funding pools are available through the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology (CBB), including Health and Medical Professional Development, Access to Data, and Equitable Access to Health Care. Applications must outline how the project will address the objectives of the funding pool. The deadline to submit applications is January 10.
Proposals for UWTL Conference: January 22
The deadline for submitting a proposal for the 15th annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning (UWTL) Conference is January 22. The theme is Sparking and Sustaining Engagement, and the conference will take place May 1-2. Please contact Natalie Chow if you have questions or use the Qualtrics form to submit your proposal.
NSERC Alliance grant program: January 24, 30
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has launched improvements to its Alliance grant program based on feedback. Webinars will be offered by NSERC on January 23 and 31 (French) and January 24 and 30 (English) for research grant officers and potential applicants to present these changes. For more information, visit the news release. If you plan to apply or have questions, contact Sarah Strader from the Office of Research.
Cooking club: January 31
The Dean's Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being is hosting a cooking club for graduate students and postdocs in the Faculty of Health. Join us on January 31 from 2 to 4:45 p.m. for a New Year's themed menu! Students will prepare several recipes and enjoy meals together in the CCCARE Kitchen at TJB. The program is free and all materials and ingredients are provided. To register, please visit the event page. Please bring containers for leftovers!
LITE Seed Grant applications: February 1
The next deadline for submitting a LITE Seed Grant application is February 1. Interested applicants are required to meet with Annik Bilodeau and/or Brianna Bennett within the first three weeks of the term or, at the latest, one week prior to the submission deadline. Please contact Natalie Chow if you have questions.
DID YOU KNOW?
Nominations open for teaching excellence awards
Nominations are now open for two annual teaching awards through the Centre for Teaching Excellence. Students are encouraged to nominate exemplary instructors for the Distinguished Teaching Awards. The Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching is also awarded to exceptional student instructors at this time. Nominations are due February 2.
Mental Health Literacy Program
Offering many mental health training opportunities, Campus Wellness has designed a virtual Mental Health Literacy Program, meant to support and address mental health within the University through an equity-focused lens. There are two winter 2024 cohorts now open to staff, faculty, postdocs and research assistants. Visit the portal to register for Cohort 1 (February 7 start date) or Cohort 2 (March 21 start date).
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.