Events

Equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism training has become an essential part of professional development initiatives across industries. However, post-training feedback often reports medium or lower levels of efficiency and knowledge transfer associated with equity training programs. By revisiting cases of providing equity training, this workshop will identify and explain the challenges associated with delivering and receiving such initiatives. The session will compare the employees' expectations of equity training with the requirements of professional development programs. During the session discussions, we will examine the gaps and provide practical suggestions on how to enhance EDI-related training within individual departments.

Join Nadine Quehl and Ishari Waduwara-Jayabahu for a gentle movement and mindfulness meditation practice. We will begin with movement and stretches to release tension and bring more awareness of the body. We will also lead some guided meditations and offer some tips on enhancing mindfulness throughout your day, and activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the 'rest and digest' state). We will provide a handout with tips and suggestions for home practice. Beginners and those with an existing yoga and meditation practice are welcome.

This employee-led session uses the digitization of the University of Waterloo’s Global Futures publication as a lens to explore how storytelling, design, and collaboration shape our digital future. Developed by the President’s Office, Creative Studio, and UR Communications, this transformation shows how Waterloo navigates change through creative teamwork and strategic, user-centered design. The session highlights how thoughtful digital storytelling, supported by accessible design, data-informed choices, and new tools, can strengthen connections to Waterloo’s mission, vision, and values. Through this example, attendees will see how inspiring narratives and intentional digital design can broaden reach by elevating diverse voices and creating meaningful experiences across our community and beyond.

Learn the ins and outs of consensus-building, a collaborative process that welcomes healthy disagreement while trying to create stronger, more inclusive decisions. This workshop breaks down how consensus works, the conditions that help it succeed, and the common pitfalls. Through presentation, group discussion, and a demonstration, you’ll walk away with some techniques to consider for facilitating complex decisions among colleagues, friends, or collaborators.

Discover what makes the University of Waterloo brand truly distinctive and how it can be activated with purpose and consistency across your work. In this interactive, in-person session, we’ll explore the origins and evolution of our brand, unpack the key pillars that define Waterloo’s identity, and compare our positioning with peers in Canada and abroad. Participants will leave with practical insights and flexible approaches for applying the Waterloo brand in marketing, communications, and everyday engagement - strengthening our collective voice and impact.

At the age of 14, Taylor Lindsay-Noel was a nationally recognized Canadian gymnast, on track to compete in the 2012 London Olympics. Everything changed in an instant when, following a tragic accident, she found herself paralyzed from the neck down. After more than a decade of growth and healing, Taylor has channelled the passion that drove her as a gymnast into her endeavours as a thriving entrepreneur, podcaster, speaker, and motivational figure.

As a renowned entrepreneur, Taylor highlights the business strategy she used to build her thriving loose-leaf tea company, Cup of Té, and details her extraordinary journey overcoming extreme adversity to create a successful business from the ashes.

AI and deepfake technologies are rapidly evolving tools with significant potential for positive impact. However, they are increasingly being misused to create harmful and exploitative content. Join us for a workshop exploring how sexual violence intersects with technology. We’ll examine how this emerging technology is having extreme real-world impacts on often unknowing victims.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education. While AI offers new opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it is also introducing complex challenges related to student well-being, accessibility, academic integrity, and meaningful human connections. Grounded in universal design, trauma-informed practices, and student-centered approaches, this session emphasizes actionable strategies that center on empathy, maintain professional boundaries, and foster inclusive pedagogy in our technology-rich learning environments.

Many of us find ourselves wondering: Where do I fit? What’s my next step? How do I show up in a meaningful way when so much around me is shifting? In a time of evolving structures, shifting priorities, and ongoing change across campus and beyond, these questions can feel both important and overwhelming. This workshop offers space to explore how our personal career stories intersect with Waterloo’s evolving institutional story, and to begin orienting and finding our way by identifying the stories that truly serve us.

Grounded in Waterloo’s long‑term vision and informed by real sentiments shared by staff from across campus, this session invites you to examine which stories are currently serving you, which may no longer fit, and how you might reimagine or adapt your narrative as you move forward. Through movement-based activities* and brief conversations with colleagues, you’ll be introduced to practical strategies and tools to support you in wayfinding your career at Waterloo.

Food costs and average global temperatures are rising, but there still is hope. In this workshop hosted by Food Services and the Sustainability Office, you will learn how to reduce your food carbon footprint and food waste, while saving money. Participants will also have the opportunity to sample a curried lentil soup and make and take a soup kit to cook at home.