Dean's Update - August 2022

Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,

I hope your summer months have included some time for a vacation. In August, I melded my vacation with visits to three Indigenous communities: Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation (or Shoal Lake 39), Pequis First Nation, and Kahnawake First Nation. I developed first-hand appreciation of the diversity in resources, culture and quality of life across these communities. I heard accounts not generally shared with people outside of the First Nations. For example, while the quarantine of communities successfully prevented many COVID-related deaths, the restrictions triggered trauma among younger generations who were reminded of the restrictions imposed on family members of previous generations. I also witnessed a strong sense of pride among all the First Nations represented at a pow wow hosted by Eagle Lake First Nation.

My travel to these communities was made richer through interaction with 30 Indigenous high schools students who visited the University of Waterloo campus on August 17-18 for the first Indigenous Youth Career Initiative. Funded by Indigenous Services Canada, and organized through the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario, the purpose of this week-long tour was to expose Indigenous youth to careers in emergency management and public safety. In addition to visiting Canadian Security Intelligence Service Headquarters, the RCMP, Six Nations of the Grand River Fire and Emergency Department and the Ontario Police Academy, the students spent a day at Waterloo.

Here, they engaged in Indigenous cultural activities at St. Paul’s University College, completed a compass exercise used for search and rescue, tried Environment’s flight simulator, experienced riding in Engineering’s WATonoBus, and learned about the human body in Health’s Anatomy Lab. I was touched to see the eyes light up in some of the students who said they would be interested in studying subjects such as science, computing or health.

I am deeply grateful to members of the Office of Indigenous Relations (Kevin George, Jaydum Hunt, Robin Stadelbauer, Jean Becker), Fiona McAlister, Alex DeGagne, Tamara Maciel and the numerous student volunteers who helped make this event a success. It reinforces why I love working in post-secondary education.

Wishing you all a great start to the fall term,
Lili Liu

This month I Events I Tips and reminders

THIS MONTH

Welcome to new staff

Welcome to new staff in the Faculty, including Saba Shafiq as Advancement Coordinator, working out of the Dean's Office, and two new staff in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies: Nadine Quehl in the new role of Community Outreach and Communications Specialist and Emily Watson as Events Coordinator and Program Assistant. Shafiq was previously a project coordinator with the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, while Quehl worked at the Office of Research as manager for non-profit and public sector partnerships. Watson brings event planning experiences and insurance industry background to her role.

Faculty member changes in RLS

Welcome to Kylie Wasser, who joined the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLS) as a definite-term lecturer (DTL) in August. Her PhD is from McMaster and she is interested in the interplay between recreation, sport, events and policy. Corey Johnson has accepted a faculty position at North Carolina State and Kelsey Johansen ended her DTL contract with the department. Best wishes to all.

Funding spotlight: Kimberly Lopez

Congratulations to Kimberly Lopez (Recreation and Leisure Studies), who received a three-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant of $75,000 for her project “Towards Free-From-Harm Care Labour: Laying the Groundwork for Reporting Race and Gender-Based Harm in LTC Homes.”

Funding spotlight: Mayank Kalra

Mayank Kalra, a research fellow in Kinesiology and Health Sciences, has received an AGE-WELL-UW Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Award in Technology and Aging, valued at $25,000. This award is matched by funds from the Ontario Teachers’ Retirement Village (Kitchener), endowed to the Faculty of Health. Kalra is supervised by Andrew Laing.

Recipients of LITE Seed Grant

Congratulations to Elena Neiterman, Jennifer Yessis, Natalie Chow, Josh Edmondstone and Zara Rafferty for receiving a LITE Seed Grant from the Centre for Teaching Excellence. Their project is called "Capturing student and instructor insights from the pandemic to develop guidelines on best teaching practices for post-pandemic course design and delivery in the Faculty of Health: A community-based approach."

Catalyst Grant recipients

Several Health researchers in interdisciplinary teams received 2022 Catalyst Grants from the Network of Aging Research, including Suzanne Tyas, Steven Mock, Laura Middleton, Tyson Beach, Caryl Russell, Mark Oremus, along with students Emily Rutter, Mike Sehl and Ji Won Kang. To see the various research projects, please visit the Catalyst Seed Grant recipients page.

Update on Starbucks and FRSH Vegan

Food Services reports that Starbucks will be reopening on Thursday this week. However, FRSH Vegan will be closed for the month of September, mostly due to staff shortages, but also because there are some unresolved plumbing issues that need to be addressed.

Undergraduate Orientation: September 1-5

As part of undergraduate Orientation activities, faculty and staff are invited to serve a pita lunch to incoming students on September 5 at 12:30 p.m. on the BMH Green (EXP foyer in case of rain). Look for your inbox invitation. Also, the long-running play 'Single and Sexy' has been updated and is now called 'To Be Honest.' Other Orientation details may be found on the Fall Orientation web page.

Grad Student Orientation: September 6

Incoming graduate students will attend events specific to their academic unit, and then afternoon activities will be hosted by the Student Success Office. Please share the Grad Studies Orientation schedule with any new grad students so they can register for events.

Scholarship application advice: September 13, 15

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) is hosting both a webinar and live chat appointments to support current graduate students applying for scholarships. Get guidance on how to submit a successful application for a major federal or provincial scholarship by attending the Insider Academic Advice Webinar on September 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or signing up for Live Chat Appointments on September 15 between 1 and 3 p.m.

Organ Donor Awareness event: September 20

Are you interested in being an organ donor, or want to learn more about it? Stop by the Expansion Foyer on September 20 between 12 and 4 p.m. and meet Kinesiology alumnus Eric Celentano (BSc ’79, Alumni Council). He will share his inspiring story about being a lung transplant recipient and provide info on how you can register to give the gift of life.

National Postdoc Appreciation Week: September 19-23

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) will be taking part in National Postdoc Appreciation Week, along with more than 90 institutions across Canada and the United States. This marks the seventh annual celebration of postdoctoral scholars at Waterloo. If you’re a postdoc, don’t forget to pick up a small token of our appreciation from the GSPA front desk.

University Commitment Ceremony: September 22

Expanding on the Commitment Ceremony held in June for Health, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Myeengun Henry will conduct a University Commitment Ceremony with Waterloo President Vivek Goel on September 22. It will begin with a sunrise ceremony at 7 a.m. at the St. Paul's ceremonial fire pit. The Commitment Ceremony itself will start at 10:30 a.m., ending with a feast. A wampum belt, which will ultimately be displayed in the Board of Governors' chambers, will be presented. Other details will be announced at a later date.

Orange Shirt Day: September 30

Keep an eye out for various events and activities in the Faculty and beyond that will be taking place to commemorate Orange Shirt Day. September 30 has become a day to honour survivors of the Indian residential school system and remember those who did not return. 

Water, health, food and gender: September 26-28

Join Craig Janes, director of the School of Public Health Sciences, who will be speaking at the 2022 Water Institute Research Conference to explore progress on the United Nation’s Social Development Goals at the intersection of water, health, food and gender.

Alumni Black and Gold Day: October 1

Join Jenn Bentley, the Faculty's Alumni Engagement Officer, for a day with the Warriors. Start with yoga in the Field House, join an Athletics facility tour and cheer on the Warriors in the Alumni VIP Tent as they battle the U of T Varsity Blues. Other events run between September 29 and October 1, including a trivia night and a Kin '72 reunion, which takes place every five years! Register on the Alumni Black and Gold event page, or contact Jenn Bentley for info.

Research Horizons speaker series: Fall term

The Office of Research is launching a new speaker series this fall for the research community called Research Horizons. The series will host dialogues with leaders from various agencies and organization and is geared to faculty members, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Speakers are scheduled for October 5, November 2 and December 8. To register, please see the Research Horizons event page.

TIPS AND REMINDERS

Test your technology

The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) encourages teaching faculty and staff to visit their classrooms prior to the start of term to (re)familiarize themselves with the technology available, and to test out other technology that is planned for use. Learn more about Classroom Technology, Registrar Controlled Rooms (authentication required), and "how to" IST Training Videos (authentication required). Keep an eye out for the CTE newsletter with information about teaching and learning practices, or contact Laura Williams if you have questions.

Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.