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Thursday, September 18, 2014

 

 

  • Royal Society names profs to "The College"
  • According to ranking body, Waterloo's a star
  • St. Paul's distributes $140K for development
  • Photo Gallery highlights the "Age of Extremes"
  • Health Services opening today and other notes

 

 

Royal Society names profs to "The College"

The Royal Society of Canada has named the inaugural 91 members of The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, and two Waterloo professors are among those members.

Those named to the College have been nominated by 51 Canadian universities and the National Research Council, and they represent the emerging generation of scholarly, scientific and artistic leadership in Canada.

The two Waterloo professors named are:

Professor Susan Tighe.Susan Tighe, of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, whose citation reads as follows:


"Susan Tighe has conducted pioneering work in pavement engineering resulting in major changes to road and highway technology, specifications and standards worldwide. Work through novel integration of field and laboratory performance has resulted in improved safety, unique material usage and structural designs which are cost-effective
and resilient to climate and loading impacts. She has an extensive record of scientific achievement and is at the forefront of research in this field."

Professor Chris Eliasmith.Chris Eliasmith, of the Department of Philosophy and Department of Systems Design Engineering, whose citation reads as follows:


"Chris Eliasmith is a pioneering figure in the rapidly developing field of theoretical neuroscience. His most visible contribution has been in the development of Spaun, the world’s largest functional model of the brain. Spaun has garnered wide acclaim, both in the academy and in the popular press. Behind Spaun’s success is a deeply influential body of work implementing an innovative approach to the problem of how brains encode meaning."

Together, the members of the College will address issues of particular concern to new scholars, artists and scientists, for the advancement of understanding and the benefit of society, taking advantage of the interdisciplinary approaches fostered by the establishment of the College.

The presentation ceremony for this first cohort will take place on Friday, November 21 at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City, with a banquet to follow.

 

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According to ranking body, Waterloo's a star

Five stars plus, actually.

The University of Waterloo rose 11 places to be ranked 169th in the world in 2014, according to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK firm that released an annual ranking of world universities this week.

QS Stars ranking logo.Waterloo also achieved the rating of five star plus in the QS Stars for outstanding performance in eight individual areas: research, employability, teaching, facilities, internationalization, innovation, engineering and technology, and access.

“This University works hard to make sure that our students get an outstanding education and that we are producing research that will transform the way we understand the world around us,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur. “This ranking shows we are making progress to being recognized as one of the world’s top innovation universities and we remain focused on that goal.”

Waterloo is among 10 Canadian universities ranked in the top 200 in the world and is listed seventh of the Canadian schools. Waterloo is ranked third in Canada for Engineering and Technology and fifth in Canada for Natural Sciences.

QS introduced the star rating system in 2010 as a way for prospective students to make decisions about which school to attend, looking at criteria such as the employability of graduates, sports facilities and many others. Universities are awarded with a star rating, ranging from one to five plus, depending on the number of points achieved through the evaluation. More than 50 different indicators contribute towards the overall assessment. These are grouped into 11 categories, from which each institution is evaluated in a total of eight.

Those awarded five stars must be world-class in a broad range of areas, enjoy an excellent reputation and have cutting-edge facilities and internationally renowned research and teaching faculty.

“Achieving a rating of five star plus in the QS Stars puts Waterloo in the same category of some of the world’s most prestigious universities, such as MIT and Monash University in Australia,” said Hamdullahpur. “Only 10 other institutions in the world have achieved this rating and we hope that it will help students as they make decisions on where to study.”

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings ranks approximately 700 universities overall and in five faculty areas: Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities.

The overall rankings come after QS ranked seven subjects at the University of Waterloo among the top 100 universities in the world in its subject rankings. Waterloo was ranked 24th in the world for its work in Computer Science and in Mathematics – second among Canadian universities in both subjects.

 

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St. Paul's distributes $140K for development

St. Paul’s University College has announced grant funding of $27,000 to University of Waterloo International Development students who left this month for their international field placements, bringing St. Paul’s total contribution to students in the program to over $140,000 in 2014.

      

This annual award will help 27 students complete their eight-month placements with development and environmental organizations in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Senegal, and Vietnam.

St. Paul’s also supports International Development students by awarding a Fellowship of approximately $3,600 to each admitted student every year for residence and meals, and entrance scholarships totaling close to $16,000 this year.

“These are bright, active students who are working toward a more fair, equitable, and sustainable world, and St. Paul’s is more than pleased to be able to assist them in their endevours due to the many contributions from our donors and friends,” said Graham Brown, St. Paul’s principal.

Arranged through the Ottawa-based World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Montreal-based Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI), the field placement is a required experiential learning component of the Bachelor of Environmental Studies in International Development degree program.

Students are placed with a wide range of local development organizations addressing some of the world’s most pressing development and environmental challenges -- from building fair trade networks with small scale farmers to championing the rights of children and youth.

To get more information about the program visit the INDEV website.

 

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Photo gallery highlights the "Age of Extremes"

Europe in the 20th century: war, dictatorship, ethnic cleansing, peace, democracy, and not necessarily in that order.

A rare collection of 190 photos, newspaper clippings, and political cartoons from various archives in Europe will be on display in Modern Languages from September 15 to 26. They document in no uncertain terms the harsh realities and realized dreams that made their mark on European history.

The exhibition "Dictatorship and Democracy in the Age of Extremes" tells Europe's dramatic story of the 20th century – a past between freedom and tyranny, democracy and dictatorship. Beginning with the outbreak of World War I, the exhibition illustrates the rise of Italian Fascism and Soviet Communism, the world economic crisis and the takeover of the Nazi regime in Germany, leading to the catastrophe of World War II. It continues with the struggle of newly formed democracies after decades of dictatorships, and depicts Europe’s journey from the Cold War to the Peaceful Revolution.

In its complexity, the exhibition is a detailed historic localization of Europe as we know it today.

The exhibition was developed by the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich, the Deutschland Radio Kultur and the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship. It is presented by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Toronto, and The Waterloo Centre for German Studies.

Visitors can view the collection anytime from September 15-19 and September 22-26 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

For more information please contact the Waterloo Centre for German Studies.

 

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Health Services opening today and other notes

The expanded Health Services building will be celebrated today with a grand opening event that gets underway at 10:00 a.m. with remarks followed by guided tours of the new facility. The Health Services Clinic will be closed for the morning during the grand opening and will re-open at 1:00 p.m.

Nominations are requested for one member of the full-time staff to be elected by the full-time staff members of the university, to sit on the University's Board of Governors for a term that will end on April 30, 2017.

During the spring term, Mark Walker was re-elected to one of the two staff seats on the Board of Governors, term 1 May 2014 to 30 April 2017. Due to his departure from the university in mid-July, there is now a staff vacancy on the board.

Completed nomination forms should be submitted to the Chief Returning Officer, Secretariat & Office of General Counsel, Needles Hall, Room 3060, no later than 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 3. At least five nominators are required in each case.

The Federation of Students is hosting Clubs and Societies Days on September 18 and 19.

"From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Life Centre Great Hall, undergraduates will be able to meet the volunteers from a wide range of clubs and societies." writes the Feds' Jacqueline Martinz. "They'll have the chance to ask questions about the purpose of the group, how to get involved, and what benefits they'd receive. By joining a club or society, undergraduates will expand their social circle, explore their interests with others, and much more! More information about Feds clubs and societies is available online."

 

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Ring Road closed today at PAC

This is a reminder that the Ring Road will be closed in both directions today as underground work is carried out.

The road will be closed at the entrance to the PAC laneway. Signs have been posted.

Drivers will need to turn around in the PAC/SLC parking lot or the Village 1 parking lot if necessary.

Link of the day

50 years ago: The Addams Family *snap* *snap*

When and where

Feds Used Books hours for September: Open daily, Monday, September 15 to Friday, September 19, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, September 20, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., regular hours commence on Monday, September 22 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday).

The 10th Annual Hydrocarbon Summit: Transport, Fate and Remediation of Hydrocarbons in the Subsurface, Wednesday, September 17 to Thursday, September 18. Details.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, September 18, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Student Life Centre lower atrium. Details.

Health Services grand opening event, Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m., Health Services complex.

St. Jerome’s University and Words Worth Books present “An Evening with Eric McCormack,” Thursday, September 18, 7:30 p.m., St. Jerome’s Fireplace Lounge.

Ontario Universities' Fair, Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Details.

Hack The North Hackathon, Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21. Details.

Knowledge Integration seminar: Kaleigh Eichel, “Evolution from Goldfish to Baboons”, Friday, September 19, 2:30 p.m., Environment 3 (EV3), room 1408. Details.

Biology seminar: Ian Orchard, "The kiss of death: Rhodnius prolixus, the transmission of Chagas disease, and what does this have to do with neuroscience?"
Friday, September 19, 2:30 p.m., QNC 1501.

Doors Open Waterloo Region, Saturday, September 20, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., various locations on campus. Details.

The Ceremony of Induction into Professional Planning Education, Saturday, September 20, Registration & Reception (EV3-Atrium) 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. followed by the Induction Ceremony (ML-Theatre of Arts) 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Details.

MSCU Centre for Peace Advancement grand opening, Sunday, September 21, 2:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College. Details.

Velocity Science Talk featuring Moufeed Kaddoura; Co-Founder, ExVivo Labs & Rachel Pautler; Co-Founder & CEO, Suncayr, Tuesday, September 23, 7:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., EV3 4412. Register for free pizza.

Public Lecture: The Science Behind Ebola: Evolution, Epidemiology, and Experimental Treatments, Wednesday, September 24, 7:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre. Details.

Velocity Alpha presents “Find Your Kicka** Idea” with Waterloo student Tom Price, who's also the Chief Science Officer at Practicure, Wednesday, September 24, 7:30 p.m., EV3 4412. Register for free pizza.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, September 25, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Student Life Centre Lower Atrium. Details.

Lunch and Learn Pension session, Thursday, September 25, "Forms of Pension and Other Considerations," Thursday, September 25, 12:00 p.m., RCH 103.

University of Waterloo Retirees Association Annual Fall Reception, Thursday, September 25, 3:00 p.m. University Club.

Public Lecture featuring Lisa Schirch, "Celebrating International Day of Peace: Taking Peace to the Pentagon," Thursday, September 25, 7:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College Great Hall. Details.

David Sprott Distinguished Lecture featuring Eduardo Schwartz, UCLA School of Management, "The Real Options Approach to Valuation: Challenges and Opportunities," Thursday, September 25, 2:30 p.m., MC 4061. Details. Note the updated time and location.

Reunion 2014, Saturday, September 27. Details.

29th Annual AHS Fun Run, Saturday, September 27, 9:00 a.m., BMH. Details.

20th Annual East Asian Festival, Saturday, September 27, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Renison University College. Details.

Interactive Learning Open Houses, Saturday, September 27, 11:00 a.m., Sedra Student Design Centre, Earth Sciences Museum.

11th Annual Traditional Pow Wow, Saturday, September 27, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., St. Paul's University College. Details.

Waterloo Warriors vs. Western Mustangs, Saturday, September 27, 1:00 p.m. kickoff, Warrior Field.

Reunion keynote lecture featuring Heather Moyse, Saturday, September 27, 3:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

Bookstore Author Event featuring Pam Fluttert, author of "Until Today," Tuesday, September 30, 4:30 p.m., Bookstore, South Campus Hall.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, October 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Student Life Centre Lower Atrium. Details.

Biological Conservation Research Opportunities for Students, OpWall Info Session, Wednesday, October 1, 10:00 a.m., Needles Hall, 3043. Details.

Velocity Alpha, “What’s Your Problem?” with Larry Smith, Wednesday, October 1, 7:30 p.m., EV3 4412. Register for free pizza.

PhD Oral Defences

Applied Mathematics. Michael Dunphy, "Focusing and Vertical Mode Scattering of the First Mode Internal Tide via Mesoscale Eddy Interactions." Supervisor, Kevin Lamb. On display in the Mathematics graduate office, MC 5112. Oral defence Tuesday, September 23, 10:00 a.m., M3 2134.

Psychology. Amanda Wudarzewski, "Exploring Contributions of Liking and Wanting to the Intention-Behaviour Link." Supervisor, Derek Koehler. On deposit in the Arts graduate office, PAS 2428. Oral defence Tuesday, September 23, 10:00 a.m., PAS 3026.

Philosophy. Michael McEwan, "A Study of the Discursive Aspect of Scientific Theorizing and Modelling." supervisor, Patricia Marino. On deposit in the Arts graduate office, PAS 2428. Oral defence Tuesday, September 23, 1:30 p.m., HH 357.

Earth & Environmental Sciences. Vahid Sohrabi, "In-Situ Chemical Oxidation of Oil Sands Process Affected Groundwater." Supervisor, James Barker. On deposit in the Science graduate office, PHY 2008. Oral defence Wednesday, September 24, 11:00 a.m., MC 2009.

English. R. David Shakespeare, "Marriage and the Social Contract in British Romantic Discourse." Supervisor, Tristanne Connolly. On deposit in the Arts Graduate Office, PAS 2428. Oral defence Thursday, September 25, 10:30 a.m., MC 2009.

 

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