Daily Bulletin

Monday, December 15, 1997

University of Waterloo • Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Cryptography chairs launched today

There's a celebration this afternoon to launch two more "industrial research chairs" at UW -- chairs that are strong enough to hold more than two people, since they'll support not just two top mathematicians but some younger researchers, including graduate students.

The two chairs are in the mathematical field of cryptography and are based in the department of combinatorics and optimization. They're supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and two corporations: Certicom and Pitney Bowes.

[Vanston]
Scott Vanstone
Douglas Stinson, now at the University of Nebraska, comes to Waterloo next summer to take the Certicom chair. Scott Vanstone of St. Jerome's College and UW will take the chair supported by Pitney Bowes.

NSERC and the two companies will provide $1.85 million over five years "to further research in theoretical and real-world applications of cryptography and offer graduate training in this dynamic field". Besides the two chairholders, the new "Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research" will include a new junior faculty member and a number of visiting faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.

Certicom -- of which Vanstone is a founder and the chief cryptographer -- is described as "the most advanced cryptographic technology company, with the leading academic cryptographic research centre and the world's leading cryptographers". Pitney Bowes, best known for its postage meters, "is using the technology to maintain a business advantage in secure, telecommunications-based electronic postage payment systems". Says a news release: "The rapidly increasing number of online and wireless transactions has sparked a demand for stronger, faster, more effective cryptography, the crux of digital security. Certicom's innovative encryption technology represents the next generation of digital security for electronic commerce and data communications, including emerging technologies such as smart cards and wireless products."

A provincial "centre of excellence", Communications and Information Technology Ontario, is also a partner in the new venture. This afternoon's reception starts at 3:00 in the Davis Centre lounge.

Garbage in the trash

Four UW buildings are the source of frequent problems in the recycling bins, says Patti Cook, UW's waste management coordinator. They are Carl Pollock Hall, Environmental Studies I, PAS (Psychology), and the Student Life Centre.

The problem is "contamination", she says in a recent memo:

Garbage in the recycling is referred to as contamination. Mixing cans with the glass or vice versa is also considered contamination. Contamination in the recycling has the potential to render an entire truck load of recyclables, garbage. This results in wasted time, wasted efforts, reduced recycling, and reduced revenues.
At present, it is taking 3 hours plus, to sort out the problem at the recycling plant, and this is costing the university. What can we do about it? Your input and suggestions would be greatly appreciated on how we can improve the quality of our recycling materials. Would signs help? Where exactly are the problem areas within the buildings?

In the same memo, Cook reminds people that although styrofoam can be recycled on campus, it's not enough to leave it piled near blue boxes. "The custodians are not involved in styrofoam packaging recycling. Without a phone call to ext. 2512, no one is aware that there is styrofoam for recycling."

Where to put your bike

"The Bike Centre is now offering a brand-new service," writes Ted Harms, a volunteer with the centre. "Term-long storage is now available! Maybe you're going away on a co-op term and don't want to take your bike, or perhaps you don't want to ride your bike through the winter slush but don't have a safe place to store it. You can now leave your bike behind in the safety and security of the Bike Centre. For only $25, you can rest assured that your bike will be ready for you when you return in May." The Bike Centre will be open today and tomorrow from 1 to 5 p.m. to accept bikes. It's on the lower level of the Student Life Centre.

Notes on a mild Monday

The pension and benefits committee is meeting all morning in Needles Hall to continue its discussions of proposed changes to the pension plan and the sick leave and long-term disability benefits. About those pension changes, by the way: despite a flurry of excitement just before the last meeting -- the faculty association called for last-minute lobbying against a proposal it said was about to be approved -- the committee says decisions haven't been made yet.

The junior national hockey team will play at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium tonight against the OUA western all-stars, who include three members of UW's Warriors. Rob Maric, Jeff Goldie and Mike Chambers of Waterloo are among the all-star players, and Warrior assistant coach Dave Cressman will be behind the bench. The game starts at 6:30 (tickets $7.75). There's a similar game tomorrow night against the all-stars from the OUA's eastern division.

Christine Schmidt of the student awards office sends this note: "The Ontario Work-Study Plan has been extremely successful this year. Due to the overwhelming response from employers across campus, the Student Awards Office must announce that it is unable to accept applications for any new positions for the Winter 1998 academic term. The plan will be advertised again prior to the Spring 1998 term at which time the Student Awards Office will invite departments across campus to submit applications for jobs for the 1998/99 year."

Simon Fraser University announced Friday that its beleaguered president, John Stubbs, will resign as of January 1. He has been away on medical leave since mid-summer, but that hasn't stopped him from being at the centre of a controversy over how sexual harassment cases are handled at SFU. He'll take a year's leave, then return to his faculty position in the SFU history department. Stubbs was a history professor and associate dean at UW in the 1970s before leaving to head Trent University and then Simon Fraser, where he arrived in 1993. During his presidency, SFU has been listed three times (1993, 1996, 1997) as the best "comprehensive university" in Canada, according to Maclean's magazine.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY December 14, 1962: James Church of the mechanical engineering department is guest lecturer at the University of Toronto faculty of forestry. "Subject of his two-hour lecture was Three E's of Sawmilling: Economics, Engineering and Ergonomics."

December 15, 1983: Wes Graham, considered the "father" of computing at UW, returns to an administrative post as dean of computing and communications.

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca -- (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
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