Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
For about a year, members of the three academic units and the Dean’s Office have been collaborating on creating a Faculty-wide campaign priority for advancement that “imagines a future where health doesn’t start at the hospital door, but starts in our homes, our schools, our workplaces and our communities” and speaks to the University’s goal to “lead nationally and globally at the interface of health, society and technology.”
We call our campaign the Healthy Waterloo Initiative. By turning the University of Waterloo campus community into a living lab, we can harness our extensive expertise to explore how to measure, implement and sustain real-world solutions that transform health and well-being.
This world-class “lab” will look to develop and scale proven innovations for measuring and monitoring health markers, test solutions that improve physical and mental health and be a hub for health data, pairing technology with AI to gain insights into community health while maintaining privacy.
We have an ambitious goal for Healthy Waterloo to be scalable, beginning with Phases 1 and 2, harnessing our campus community to first create Canada’s Healthiest Campus. These phases will prepare us for Phase 3: Healthiest Region and Beyond.
I’m pleased to share that we have already received a generous three-year funding commitment from Wallenstein Feed and Supply Ltd. to help support phase 1 of our campaign. In creating our “living lab,” these funds will be used to fund people, infrastructure and resources, spurring innovations and creating impact through outreach and engagement. Moreover, we will launch Healthy Waterloo with the restart of the Fun Run this fall! Stay tuned for more information as the planning unfolds.
Coordination and collaboration with industry and community partners are an important cornerstone of the Healthy Waterloo campaign. Please contact Advancement Director Andrea Carthew if you have ideas, suggestions or would like to learn more about the Healthy Waterloo Initiative.
Best,
Lili Liu
News I Events I Did you know?
NEWS
Teaching Assistant Awards announced
Congratulations to the Fall 2024 Faculty of Health Teaching Assistant Award recipients: Michelle Vuong (Public Health Sciences), Kayla Dolman (Kinesiology and Health Sciences) and Melanie Lim (Recreation and Leisure Studies). The awards, which are given out every term, recognize exceptional graduate student teaching quality with a $500 prize. Please see the Teaching Award web page for nomination details.
RLS student named Future Scholar
Marcus Pereira, a Master’s thesis student in Recreation and Leisure Studies, has been named a 2025 Future Scholar by The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS). Pereira is a community activist with a strong focus on resistance against anti-black racism, gentrification and displacement.
Funding spotlight: CIHR grant recipients
Drs. Geoff Bardwell and Zahid Butt, researchers in the School of Public Health Sciences, have received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Bardwell's project, “Community health impacts of policing behaviour in response to illegal drug use: A mixed method study examining changes in police policy and practices in smaller urban and rural communities,” received more than $664,000 over four years in the fall 2024 Project Grants competition, in addition to another $100,000 he received last year as bridge funding from the CIHR. Butt's project, “Long COVID in Bangladesh: Developing strategies for identifying and managing post-COVID syndrome in LMICs and low resource health systems,” received $100,000 over one year in the competition.
King Charles III medal recipients
Two members of the School of Public Health Sciences were honoured with a King Charles III medal this month: Waterloo President Vivek Goel and Dr. Geoffrey Fong (cross-appointed from Psychology). Elder Myeengun Henry was awarded the medal earlier this year. The medal was created to commemorate the 2023 coronation of King Charles III and honours those who have made significant contributions to their communities, country or the world.
First annual Rally for Cancer tournament
Thank you to the 92 pickleball players and everyone who was involved in the first annual Rally for Cancer pickleball tournament, organized by the Grand River Hospital Foundation. Proceeds go to the UW WELL-FIT program, which operates out of the Centre for Clinical, Community and Research Excellence (CCCARE). More than $10,000 was raised, which means 16 new cancer patients will have access to the 12-week exercise program for people undergoing treatment.
Fantastic Alumni Day update
This year's annual Fantastic Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Retiree Day was a big success, with more than 1,000 people in attendance for two Warriors games, a flash mob (including Dean Lili Liu!) and representation from our Faculty and others. Thank you to everyone who brought their energy, enthusiasm and passion to this event.
Stock the Bank food drive
Our Faculty of Health team earned 2,360 points and came in fifth place in last term's Stock the Bank food drive. Together, we helped the Waterloo University Student Association (WUSA) collect 9,077 items to support those facing food insecurity in our Waterloo community. Your generosity made a meaningful difference! Visit the WUSA Food Support Service for resources or to donate.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND DEADLINES
Teaching and Learning journal club: March 4
Grad students and postdocs are invited to join a new journal club to explore Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The first meeting takes place in person on March 4 from noon to 1 p.m. in EXP 2677. Learn about evidence-based practices, emerging trends and current issues in post-secondary teaching. Please complete a quick survey by the end of February if interested. Contact Michelle Ogrodnik or Natalie Chow for more information.
Echoes of Identity call for submissions: March 6
For National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and International Women's Day, the Dean's Advisory Committee on EDI-AR invites you to share something meaningful to you related to either (or both) of these topics, such as a quote, reflection, personal memory or an image or artwork that resonates with these celebrations by March 6. We will share these on the digital screens in the Health buildings. Please find the details on the Echoes of Identity web page.
Exploring Turnitin's AI detection tool: March 6
This online AI detection workshop will introduce the basics of how to use the Artificial Intelligence detector, as well as the pros and cons of such a tool. Some case examples will also be shared to highlight how some departments and programs are using this new tool. It takes place online on March 6, from 9 to 10 a.m. Registration is required.
Staff appreciation call for submissions: March 21
Is there a staff member in the Faculty who supports your work or studies, has helped you out of a jam, or just makes coming to work or school that much better? Show some love and we’ll pass it on! The Faculty is planning a staff appreciation event later this term for staff across all units. If you have a message of appreciation for someone, submit it at this staff appreciation link by March 21 and we’ll share it anonymously at the event.
Indigenous Learning Circles in STEM education: March 11
You are invited to Student Learning using Indigenous Learning Circles with Vivian Dayeh, Brenda Lee, Savannah Sloat and their students as they share their experiences implementing a teaching and learning system based on an Indigenous Learning Circle methodology. It takes place in person on March 11 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in E7 7363. Registration is required.
New Faculty Teaching Days: March 17-20
The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is offering their core series of workshops, designed for new faculty members in their first three years of teaching at Waterloo. Register for all or some of these workshops. They take place in person from March 17 to 20 in MC 2036. Registration is required.
Teaching Fellows Lunch and Learn: March 18
The Faculty's Teaching Fellows and Natalie Chow (CTE liaison) are hosting a Lunch and Learn on the topic of conflict management, with guest presenter Lynn Long from the Conflict Management and Human Rights Office. This hybrid session takes place on March 18 from noon to 1 p.m. in EXP 1686. Please RSVP via a Outlook calendar invite to be sent in early March or reach out to Natalie Chow for more information.
Maple syrup traditional teachings: March 19
In anticipation of spring, please join Elder Myeengun Henry in a conversation about traditional teachings and cultural practices surrounding maple syrup. All students, staff and faculty are invited to enjoy maple syrup and cedar tea on March 19 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Indigenous Gathering Space (LHN 3701). For any questions, please email health.indigenousinitiatives@uwaterloo.ca.
March Open House: March 22
Thanks to the 120 volunteers who will be staffing March Open House this year. This event features programming across all three units that will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you plan to head to campus that day, please expect higher than usual traffic in the buildings and parking lots across campus. Please plan your trip accordingly.
Documenting your Teaching for Tenure and Promotion: March 26
Faculty members are invited to attend an online session on documenting teaching to hear from a panel of colleagues about their experience with the tenure and promotion process. It takes place online on Wednesday, March 26, 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Registration is required.
Deadline to disclose and update your IP: March 31
The deadline for faculty members to disclose and update your Intellectual Property (IP) and commercialization activity using the Electronic IP and Commercialization Activity Disclosure Form is March 31. Faculty members should complete and update the form each year. If you don’t have any IP/commercialization activity to disclose, you must still complete the form, which will take less than a minute. More information about disclosure of IP/commercialization activity is available on the Policy 73 webpage. Please email policy73form@uwaterloo.ca if you have any questions.
Faculty of Health Book Club: March 31
The next Faculty of Health Book Club title is Invisible Women: Data Bias In A World Designed For Men by Caroline Criado Perez. If you would like to join in person, we are meeting in BMH 1048 on March 31 at noon, or online. Please see the Faculty of Health Book Club page for details or to join the mailing list.
DID YOU KNOW?
WIN summer school for undergraduate students
Please let undergraduate students who are interested in STEM know about a new summer school on med-tech and sustainable nanotechnology. Five spots are reserved for undergraduate students from our Faculty, who must apply by April 28. Hosted by the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN), the WIN Summer School will take place at Waterloo from June 2 to 4 and offerlab and facilities tours in the Quantum Nano Centre and in-class lectures. Stay tuned for an information session in the Faculty.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.