Skip to the content of the web site.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

 

 

  • Program to boost STEM enrolment for women
  • Doors open for March Break Open House
  • 'Tis better to give, but getting an award is nice
  • Student leadership awards and other notes

 

  • Editor:
  • Brandon Sweet
  • Communications and Public Affairs
  • bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

 

Program to boost STEM enrolment for women

On Friday, March 8, Hydro One announced a new $1.4 million partnership with the University of Waterloo, Western University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and Ryerson University to increase both enrolment and career opportunities for female students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The announcement was made at the George Vari Engineering and Computer Science Centre at Ryerson University.

“On behalf of the four partner institutions, we are thrilled to be part of the Hydro One Women in Engineering University Partnership program,” said Pearl Sullivan, dean of the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering (pictured above with students, faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo on hand for the announcement.). “For the past decade, there has been a slight decline in the number of women interested in studying engineering. Through this new initiative, we’ll be able to reverse this trend by drawing on the strengths and experiences of all the partners to promote exciting and diverse opportunities in engineering.”

The Hydro One Women in Engineering University Partnership program will target and support young females by developing new outreach activities for elementary and high school girls to increase awareness and understanding of engineering as a preferred career option, by enhancing the success of women undergraduate students by providing support through mentoring and other networking opportunities with female engineers, and by creating supportive networks and support for female engineering graduates as they transition into the workforce, through co-op and internship opportunities and workforce preparation development.

Hydro One reports that currently, just over 10 per cent of all electrical engineers in Ontario are women. The goal of the program is to increase the number of female engineering students and graduates over the next four years by leveraging the expertise and leadership of each of the partner universities and Hydro One. Each partnering institution will receive $350,000 over four years.

“Businesses thrive on a diversity of thought and perspective, and that’s why Hydro One is committed to investing in educating and training our future workforce,”” says Carmine Marcello, President and CEO of Hydro One. “We are proud that 20 per cent of our engineers are women, more than double the national average for companies our size, but we want to see that number increase.”

 

Back to top

 

Doors open for March Break Open House

The University of Waterloo will welcome more than 6,000 visitors when it hosts its March Break Open House today and tomorrow. The event is geared towards high school students who have applied to Waterloo and those who will be applying to university next year, with information sessions and activities related to undergraduate studies as part of the agenda.

The event for students interested in the Faculty of Mathematics and the Faculty of Engineering will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. today. The School of Architecture in Cambridge will also hold an open house on Tuesday, March 12.

Students wanting more information on the faculties of Applied Health Sciences, Arts, Environment and Science will attend the event at the same time on Wednesday, March 13.

To learn about the academic opportunities at Waterloo, students and parents are encouraged to attend presentations focused on individual programs and faculties. Visitors can also attend information sessions relating to co-operative education, residence life, and financing an education. Booths focused on academics, housing and athletics will be set up in the Student Life Centre, where campus tours will also start.

 

Back to top

 


'Tis better to give, but getting an award is nice

The University of Waterloo’s United Way team accepted the United Way KW Leadership Giving Award at the recent Community Spirit Awards ceremony, held February 28. The annual event recognizes Kitchener, Waterloo and area individuals and organizations that have made a difference in the community through their involvement with United Way KW.

Accepting on behalf of the team were (l-r): Elle Crevits – 2012 United Way co-op student, Bonnie Oberle – leadership giving,  Richard Wells – United Way co-chair, Alexandra Lippert – United Way co-chair, Melissa McNown Smith – volunteer management,  Alison Boyd – incoming office manager. Also  at the ceremony but not pictured  was  Tim Jackson – leadership giving chair.

“We feel so lucky to have such a generous group of donors in the leadership category; their ongoing support helped us surpass our goal this year,” said Alexandra Lippert, United Way co-chair. “The entire university community can be proud of this award,” noted Richard Wells, United Way co-chair. “We want to thank everyone who contributed to our successful campaign, every little bit helps.”

One small note: a recent Daily Bulletin story noted the campaign raised $280,000 in 2012 – the campaign actually raised $238,000 in 2012.  But hey...it’s never too late to donate!

 

Back to top

 

Student leadership awards and other notes

Nominations for the Federation of Students’ Leadership Awards are being accepted until 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13.

"If you know a hard-working student who has made a difference at the University of Waterloo, submit a nomination form for them," writes the federation's Jacqueline Martinz. "The winners will receive a cash prize and a certificate of distinction at the Feds Leadership Awards Banquet at the end of the term."

The nomination form is available online.

De-ionized water services will be unavailable until about 3:30 p.m. today in the Centre for Environmental and Information Technology as workers install glassware washers in rooms 1008 and 5007.

Human Resources is reporting that the following retired faculty members have died:

  • Alan McLachlin, the second principal of St. Paul's United College (now St. Paul's University College), died on January 29. McLachlin was named Principal in 1965 and in September 1977 left St. Paul's to work in the university's new English Language Proficiency Program. He retired April 1, 1991.
  • Retired political science professor John Kersell died February 23. Kersell was hired in July 1967 and worked in the Political Science department until his retirement on September 1, 1996 under the Special Early Retirement Program. He is survived by his spouse, Marjorie.

Additionally, Human Resources has reported that Carmen Mohl, who worked as a housekeeper in Village 1 from November 1988 until her retirement in April 1997, died on February 9. She is survived by her spouse, Manfred.

Here's the latest nutrition "myth vs. fact" from Health Services dietician Sandra Ace:

"Myth:" Only people with high blood pressure need to limit how much sodium they eat.

"Fact:"  Most Canadians can benefit from eating less sodium. In addition to contributing to the risk of high blood pressure, eating too much sodium may increase the risk of strokes, heart disease, kidney disease and stomach cancer. Canadians eat about 3400 mg of sodium every day - more than double the 1500 mg your body needs for good health. Sodium can show up in surprising places and in foods that don’t even taste salty, like bread. In fact, as a group, bread products are the largest contributor to sodium in the Canadian diet. Even though bread is not that salty, we consume large amounts of it so the sodium adds up. When you buy a packaged or processed food, check the Nutrition Facts and choose products that are lower in sodium.  Also, try to limit restaurant meals and substitute more fresh foods for processed foods.

 

Back to top

Man arrested for unsafe use of firearm in Wilmot

A Waterloo Regional Police Service investigation into a report of unsafe use of a firearm in Wilmot Township ended Sunday evening with the arrest of a suspect after he pulled his car over on the university campus near Columbia Street.

The Waterloo Region Record has the story.

Link of the day

World Day Against Cyber-Censorship

When and where

KI-X Knowledge Integration Exhibition, Monday, March 11 to Wednesday, March 13, EV1 246. Details.

International Tobacco Control Project talk featuring Ron Borland, PhD, Cancer Council in Victoria, Australia, "Theorising Hard to Maintain Behaviour Change," Tuesday, March 12, 10:30 a.m., PAS 3026.

Advanced RefWorks, Tuesday, March 12, 10:00 a.m., FLEX Lab. Details.

Centre for Career Action presents Interview Skills for Academic Positions, Tuesday, March 12, 12:30 p.m., TC 1208.

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (I.B.M.B.) Seminar Series featuring Dr. Tracy Liu, Recent Graduate from the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, “Porphyrins applied: the imaging and therapy of cancer”, Tuesday, March 12, 3:30pm, C2-361. Details.

Noon Hour Concert, "Brass Essentials" featuring Debra and Martin Lacoste (trumpets), Trevor Wagler (French Horn), Carolyn Culp (trombone), Susan Follows (bass trombone), Wednesday, March 13 at the Conrad Grebel Chapel, 12:30 p.m.

Quantitative Biology Lecture Series featuring Nuno Barbosa-Morais, University of Toronto, "The evolutionary landscape of alternative splicing in vertebrate species," Wednesday, March 13, 2:30 p.m. B1-266.

VeloCity Pitch Night Social, Wednesday, March 13, 7:00 p.m., CEIT atrium. Details. Free pizza!

UW Drama presents Top Girls, Wednesday, March 13 to Saturday, March 16, 8:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts. Details.

Gustav Bakos Observatory Tour, Wednesday, March 13, 9:00 p.m., PHY 308.

International Student Experience presents "Nigeria: Great People, Great Nation, and Cameroon: The Africa Miniature," Thursday, March 14, 12:00 p.m., NH 1116.

Pi Day, Thursday, March 14, 1:59 p.m., free pie on the third floor of MC building. Full schedule here.

Observations and Free Inquiries seminar featuring Hamid Tizhoosh, Systems Design Engineering, "Learning and Intelligence - Beyond the barriers of thought" Thursday, March 14, 5:30 p.m., E5 6004. Details.

VeloCity Pitch Night Social, Thursday, March 14, 7:00 p.m., CEIT atrium. Details. Free pizza!

The Departments of Classical Studies and Religious Studies present Professor Jeffrey Wickes, Saint Louis University, "The Scriptural Poetics of Syriac Hymnody," Friday, March 15, 4:30 p.m. EV3 4412.

21st Annual Juggling Festival, Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17, Student Life Centre, with performances at 7:00 p.m. in Hagey Hall. Note the new time.

Public Consultation Centre for proposed 2013 Grand River Transit Service Improvement Plan, Monday, March 18, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Student Life Centre Great Hall.

Fourth Year Design Symposium for Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Monday, March 18, 1:00 p.m., DC foyer. Details.

Chemistry Department Seminar Series featuring Prof. Claude Spino, Department of Chemistry, Sherbrooke University, “Making Chiral Quaternary Carbons”, Monday, March 18, 2:30 p.m., C2-361. Details.

UWSA "Let's Talk" event, Tuesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m., Brubakers, Student Life Centre. Details.

Vincent Lam reads at St. Jerome's University, Tuesday, March 19, 8:00 p.m., STJ 3014. Details.

Fourth Year Design Symposium for Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wednesday, March 20, 9:30 a.m., DC foyer. Details.

UWRC Book Club meeting, featuring "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes, Wednesday, March 20, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

Kitchener Public Library Ideas and Issues Lecture Series featuring Christine Perdon, Department of Psychology, "Think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts ...d'oh!" Wednesday, March 20, 12:00 p.m., Forest Heights Community Library.

Int'l Spouses, Book Club featuring "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, Wednesday, March 20, 7:00 p.m., St. Paul grad apartments, 3rd floor. Details. Note the new time.

 

One click away


• FAUW discusses ADDS status
• Unpaid internships lowering the floor of the job market
Alberta's PSE grants cut by 7 per cent
XKCD nails it
Why are 15 year-olds and 24 year-olds in the same employment bracket?
Ontario universities call on provincial government to extend tuition framework
Harvard reportedly searched deans' emails
Graduate pay gap in the United Kingdom
Sri Lanka urges U.S. to drop charges against "Waterloo Suresh"

 

Yesterday's Daily Bulletin