Alumni Award winners named

by Dana Ciak.

Across Canada and around the world, Waterloo alumni are making significant contributions to their university, their professions and their communities. The Alumni Awards recognize these individuals and their efforts to build a better world. The winners are:

Faculty of Arts

• Jud Whiteside, Alumni Achievement Award
  
• Benjamin Ries, Young Alumni Award
  

School of Accounting and Finance

• Rod Barr: Alumni Achievement Award
  
• Sharon Ng: Young Alumni Award
  

Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

• Ami Richter, Alumni Achievement Award
  
• Dr. Farhan Asrar, Young Alumni Award
  

Faculty of Engineering

• Alison Brooks, Alumni Achievement Medal, Professional Achievement
  
• Mohammed Y. Chisti, Alumni Achievement Medal, Academic Excellence
  
• Frank Baylis, Kris Shah, Team Alumni Achievement Medal
  
• Khaled Al Sabawi, Young Alumni Achievement Medal
  

Faculty of Environment

• Mike Labbé, Alumni Achievement Award
  
• Mac Balacano, Young Alumni Award
  

Faculty of Mathematics

• Matei Zaharia, Young Alumni Achievement Medal
  
• Jim Udall, Alumni Achievement Medal
  
• Charles Lee, Alumni Achievement Medal
  
• Jeromy Carriere, J.W. Graham Medal in Computing & Innovation
  

Faculty of Science

• Vikas Gupta, Distinguished Alumni Award
  
• John van Leeuwen, Distinguished Alumni Award
  
• Dave Wilkin, Young Alumni Award
  
• John F. Eix, Contributions to Science Award
  

Conrad Grebel University College

• Lisa Schirch, Distinguished Alumni Service Award
  

St. Jerome's University

• Laura Zilney, Fr. Norm Choate, C.R., Distinguished Graduate Award
  

Renison University College

• Linda Jackson, Outstanding Alumna Award

Read more about these outstanding 2014 alumni award winners.

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Grade 10 Family Night helps students plan for university

By: Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment

On Thursday, February 19, Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment will host high school students and their families from across Ontario for the University of Waterloo’s annual Grade 10 Family Night event. 

The evening is an opportunity for students to learn about the university application process, financing options and opportunities, and information on the admission process for UWaterloo.  The keynote speaker for this event is Ray Darling, the University of Waterloo’s Registrar. He will speak to attendees about finding the right fit at university and the importance of exploring your interests and discovering your passions; ultimately helping Grade 10 students decide what area to pursue when it is time to apply.   

“Parents want their children to be happy and to have a good career” says Darling, “if students choose a university program that they’re passionate about, that will lead to a career they love”. 

Darling will also share success stories from his years of experience in recruiting undergraduate students, as well as bring a personal perspective to his talk since his teenage children are preparing for their post-secondary career. 

Grade 10 may seem like an early time to be talking to students about their future plans, but they’ll soon be selecting their courses for Grade 11, which will greatly influence their pre-requisites for university. 

Families can register to attend the on-campus session or watch the live webcast.

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Connected to the community

By: Ginny Dybenko

The University of Waterloo appreciates the remarkable opportunity that the City of Stratford has provided in welcoming us into the community. This is a long-term relationship that will be a core component of Stratford's bright economic future. 

We have already experienced substantial success here in Stratford. From a standing start just three years ago, we were pleased to welcome 350 students to classes in Stratford this past September.

Our Master's graduates from past years are enjoying outstanding success finding employment in digital industries here, and around the world. The University of Waterloo is more than a world-class institution for innovation and learning. It has a rich history of being connected and contributing to make its communities better places. Over the past five years, we have lead signature events and programs that we hope have strengthened relationships between the university, the City of Stratford and beyond.

As we develop future research and academic programs, it is important to us, in addition to responding to global employment opportunities, that we respond to the specific needs of the community - viewing Stratford and area residents as co-researchers and partners in the pursuit of knowledge.

To that end, we have recently introduced a leading edge 'Living Lab' research concept at our campus. In November, the University of Waterloo Faculties of Environment, Applied Health Sciences, and Arts conducted a planning session with many community leaders. The objective was to uncover pressing challenges in the community that we may be able to help address with academic research. We've named this initiative Community Health Environment Communications (CHEC). It's too early to draw any conclusions from the discussions as yet, however we will continue to share information with our community.

It is our hope that Waterloo’s presence in the community has been a positive one to date and we look forward to a long and productive future together.

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Family Day closures and other notes

Monday is Family Day in Ontario and most University operations will be shuttered for the holiday, including Retail Services, the Physical Activities Complex and Columbia Icefield, and Food Services, unless otherwise noted on their schedule of hours. Mudie's in Village 1, for example, is scheduled to be open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries will be open from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday.

As always, even on holidays, the university police (519-888-4911) will be at work, the Student Life Centre's Turnkey Desk (519–888-4434) will be open, and the central plant will monitor campus buildings (maintenance emergencies, ext. 33793).

If you're looking for a way to celebrate the long weekend, you can check out Winterloo. Now in its 12th year, the City of Waterloo's winter family festival, will take place from Saturday, February 14 to Monday, February 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. The University of Waterloo and Conestoga College are among the event's sponsors.

Monday also marks the beginning of Reading Week, which means there will be no classes next week. Waterloo's offices and services will be open, more or less as usual, Tuesday through Friday, which are regular working days for university employees.

Many food services outlets will be open during reading week, some with modified hours of operation. Brubaker's in the Student Life Centre, for example, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tuesday to Friday. CEIT Café will be closed Friday, February 20. The Tim Hortons in SCH will be open from 7:30 to 5:00 Tuesday to Friday. However, Bon Appetit in the Davis Centre, Eye Opener Café in Optometry, Festival Fare in South Campus Hall, Liquid Assets in Hagey Hall, ML's Coffee Shop in Modern Languages, the PAS Lounge in the PAS building, Pastry Plus in BMH, REVelation, and the Tim Hortons locations in the DC Library, Modern Languages, the Student Life Centre and UWP will all be closed for the week.

Today is the deadline to submit nominations for the Amit & Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student. If you know an exceptional teaching assistant, this is your last chance to recognize them through the AETS award.

"The awards are open to all students who have a formal teaching role at the University of Waterloo," says the Centre for Teaching Excellence. "Four awards are given annually in recognition of excellence in teaching of all kinds by registered students (e.g., teaching assistant, laboratory demonstrator, sessional lecturer). The Selection Committee considers intellectual vigour and communication skills in the interpretation and presentation of subject matter. Concern for and sensitivity to the academic need of the students is an important criterion."

Nominators can be undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and faculty members. You can nominate any registered student that has a formal teaching role, either as a teaching assistant, a laboratory demonstrator, or sessional lecturer, and who teaches at the University of Waterloo or at its federated and affiliated institutions.

The results of the Federation of Students elections will be released at 1:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall

CPH will have no domestic hot and cold water on Saturday, February 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as a water main is repaired.

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