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Researchers discovered the outcome of a U.S. presidential election can affect employees’ engagement and performance at work — if they voted for the losing side. Although experts have long known that ongoing family issues and other stresses can affect the workplace, less is known about the effect of more discrete events.

“This study demonstrates that spillover is not limited to fairly stable environmental features or day-to-day events.” said James Beck, a psychology professor at Waterloo. “Instead, discrete events like presidential elections can also impact the workplace.” 

The study identifies the need for educating coaches when it comes to addressing the inclusion and management of athletes with asthma. 

Music is in the air at Waterloo thanks to two new outdoor pianos in front of the Dana Porter Library and the Peter Russell Rock Garden. The pianos appeared thanks to the efforts of Max Salman, a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Science.

“We’ve got a lot of talent here and it’s been wonderful to see it showcased,” says Salman. “People aren’t just playing the piano, but passersby are slowing down to enjoy the atmosphere. The response has been amazing.”

Edgy, entertaining and educational: the provocative play Single and Sexy is celebrating its third decade as one of the highlights of Orientation Week.

In the most significant study of its kind, researchers from the University of Waterloo found that MNCs from nearly every country complied better with Canadian labour laws if their operations in Canada were unionized. 

“Unions entirely mitigate the country of origin effect,” said Chris Riddell, economics professor at the University of Waterloo and co-author of the study. “The study shows an example of how unions can play a broader role in ensuring companies comply with the law.”

The nomination period for the President's Community Impact Awards are now open. Launched in 2017, the President’s Community Impact Awards celebrate great community leaders and the impact they create through volunteerism, philanthropy, or engagement.

The awards recognize individuals or teams of community members, students, staff or faculty who embody the University’s spirit of innovation and contribute to making Waterloo Region strong and prosperous.

The findings suggest that efforts to close a gender gap in the field should stress key reasons for women to pursue engineering along with the current approach of instilling confidence in their technical and academic abilities to succeed.

“The message to women isn’t just that they can do it,” said Lukasz Golab, an engineering professor who led the research. “The message is also that women should want to do it because engineering is an excellent fit for their values, priorities and approaches.”

To solve complex global challenges, society will need to focus on developing creative citizens rather than concentrating solely on new technologies, says Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo.

Hamdullahpur was speaking at the Dr. Richard Maponya Annual Lecture on Entrepreneurship at the Durban University of Technology in South Africa this week.

The Bank of Canada is expected to raise its interest rate today. The University of Waterloo has an expert available to talk about the impacts of the BOC’s decision and what that could mean for Canadians.

Jean-Paul Lam – Economics

Jean-Paul Lam is an Associate Professor of Economics at Waterloo and was formerly an assistant chief economist at the Bank of Canada. His research interests and expertise focus on central banking and monetary policy.