Vice-President, Academic & Provost steps down

The University of Waterloo has announced that Sallie Ann Keller (right) has resigned her position as Vice-President, Academic & Provost, effective immediately.

“On behalf of the University of Waterloo, I would like to wish Professor Keller well as she begins the next stage of her distinguished career, and thank her for her contributions to the university community," President & Vice Chancellor Feridun Hamdullahpur wrote in a statement posted to the university’s news site yesterday afternoon.

During her time at Waterloo, Keller helped lead the development of the University’s Strategic Mandate Agreement and response to a government white paper on the future of higher education.

Keller cited personal reasons for her departure from the post. Her appointment as professor in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science continues.

 

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McBoyle named interim provost

“I am pleased to advise that Geoff McBoyle has agreed to serve as interim Vice-President, Academic & Provost," President Hamdullahpur wrote in a memo circulated to the Board of Governors and the university’s Executive Council yesterday. “As a long-time faculty member and senior administrator, he is well-attuned to the academic strengths of our institution, and the steps we must take to build on our success as an international leader in research and teaching excellence.”

This is familiar territory for McBoyle (left), who was appointed acting provost in October 2010 when Feridun Hamdullahpur became interim president. McBoyle remained in the position until May 2012, when he was succeeded by Sallie Ann Keller.

McBoyle was a faculty member in the geography and environmental management department, and served as dean of what was then called the Faculty of Environmental Studies from 1997 to 2004. He became associate VP (academic) in 2007.

In accordance with university Policy 48, a nominating committee for the Vice-President, Academic & Provost position will be established.

 

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Cracking WISE about electric cars

Research into green transportation in Ontario just got a boost thanks to a new partnership that lets researchers and drivers see how well electric vehicles perform.

The new collaboration, called Drive4Data, is the first of its kind in Canada and involves the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE) at the University of Waterloo and FleetWise EV300, an initiative of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF).

The project involves collecting data from the owners of electric vehicles who agree to have a small wireless device about the size of a cell phone installed in their car. The Waterloo company CrossChasm, a technology partner in this initiative, created the device. It collects key statistics, such as mileage, battery charging and energy use, and then relays it to WISE. This real-world data could help advance research into everything from battery technology to smart grid management.

"Just by logging into a website, drivers can access detailed reports on their vehicle’s performance," said Tracey Forrest, director of WISE. "They can track the distance they've travelled, improve their charging schedule, monitor their fuel and electricity usage and benchmark their performance against similar vehicles."

Thanks to the TAF partnership, WISE researchers can now access data from 70 fleet-based electric vehicles through FleetWise EV300 — a non-profit program that is working with fleet managers in the public and private sectors make the shift to electric vehicles.

“The better we understand electric vehicle performance, the better we can determine the true business and environmental case for ownership with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ben Marans, manager of social innovation and transportation for TAF. “Collaborating with WISE fits perfectly with our goal of encouraging electric vehicle use throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.”

Drive4Data is generously supported by Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro, Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro, Waterloo North Hydro and the Region of Waterloo.

"These forward-looking funders understand that electric vehicles are the way of the future," said Forrest. "With their help, we’re accelerating transportation innovation."

The following dealerships are authorized to install the Drive4Data devices: Forbes Waterloo Toyota, K-W Mitsubishi, Parkway Ford Lincoln, Schlueter Chevrolet, Waterloo Nissan, and Waterloo Honda. Electric vehicle owners can get more information about Drive4Data and sign up for the program online.

 

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Propel Centre gets Senate's approval

a message from the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact

The Propel Centre for Population Health Impact is pleased to announce that we have been approved by the Senate as a centre at the University of Waterloo, becoming the second Senate-approved centre within the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.

Founded by the Canadian Cancer Society and the University of Waterloo, Propel is a collaborative enterprise that conducts solution-oriented research, evaluation and knowledge exchange to accelerate improvements in the health of populations. Following extensive consultations across campus, and guided by a team including members from all six Faculties, we recently launched the Waterloo Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to catalyze new, multi-disciplinary collaborations that will advance research focused on preventing chronic diseases and their underlying causes. To learn more about the Initiative, including a current offering of seed funding, visit the website.

As a Senate-approved centre, we will continue with our pan-Canadian mandate as we seek to transform the health of populations in Canada, and around the world.

For more information about Propel, please visit our website or contact us by email or by calling 519-888-4520.

 

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Thursday's notes

No more monkey business: Anne Dagg, a faculty member in Independent Studies, and registered professional biologist Lee Harding have published "Human Evolution and Male Aggression: Debunking the Myth of Man and Ape."

The book examines the belief that male aggression is the product of a long evolution in light of new archaeological studies and modern advances in understanding of how early humans behaved and was put out by Cambria Press in New York.

Graduate students should be aware that today is the final day to register to compete in the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. Details about this competitive event are available online.

Co-op students will have another opportunity to exchange their co-op experiences for free pizza and a chance to win a $25 Retail Services gift card today and tomorrow as Waterloo Professional Development (WatPD) holds a second round of feedback sessions in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Earlier this week, sessions were held in Carl Pollock Hall. WatPD courses are in the process of being redeveloped and the professional development program, which all co-op students are enrolled in, is interested in gathering more student-focused experiences and feedback.

 

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