News

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day, and we’re joining in to help create positive change.

Mental illness affects people of all ages and from all walks of life. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in five people in Canada will experience a mental health issue or illness in any given year.

As part of our initiatives to promote positive mental health across the Faculty of Science, we have collected some resources, so that if you need resources know where to turn.

On December 28, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada announced 120 new appointments to the Order of Canada. The new member list included Donna Strickland, Anne Dagg, Paul Born and Stuart McGill, who are all affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Both Donna Strickland and Anne Dagg have connections with the Faculty of Science as well! They were appointed for outstanding contributions in their field and for enriching the lives of others.

Each year since 2005, a group of students from the University of Waterloo has been embracing the challenging, but rewarding world of synthetic biology, problem solving and researching for the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition. This competition brings together teams from countries around the world to showcase projects, and learn from each other at an annual conference.

This past Saturday, the University of Waterloo science buildings were filled with laughter, smiles, and exclamations of discovery, as families from the Kitchener-Waterloo community gathered for a day of curiosity-driven exploration and experimentation. The annual Science Open House and Gem and Mineral Show drew large crowds to UWaterloo.

The University of Waterloo officially launched its astrophysics centre today.

The Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA) is being launched to build on the University’s record of success in astrophysics, which includes the creation of the theories tested by the first-ever image of a black hole to be taken. The centre also aims to advance human understanding of phenomena such as dark energy, dark matter and the nature of supermassive black holes.

Do you take three or more medications regularly? Do you feel like your medications aren’t working or that you may be experiencing side effects? Do you have diabetes? A MedsCheck with your pharmacist may be for you.

Do you know someone taking opioid medications? Then you should have a naloxone kit in case of accidental overdose. In Ontario, naloxone kits are available free of charge at participating pharmacies, thanks to the Ontario Naloxone Program for Pharmacies.

There is much going on in the nation’s capital, but people on Parliament Hill took time this week to honour an esteemed Canadian, Canada’s newest Nobel laureate. Donna Strickland, a professor of physics at Waterloo, received a wide and warm welcome in Ottawa Tuesday, from Rideau Hall to the House of Commons, and including a reception celebrating her achievement. Strickland won the Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 for developing chirped pulse amplification.

Last week, students, staff, and faculty from the School of Pharmacy supported local service organization Ray of Hope in delivering two events - preparing a hot lasagna meal and providing a rest stop for the annual Coldest Night of the Year walk.