Chief Information Officer stepping down

"Effective June 30, 2015 Dave Wallace will step down from his position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) to take up a position as the Executive Director, Ontario University Application Centre," says a memo from Vice-President, Academic & Provost Ian Orchard. "Steps to appoint an interim CIO are underway and a search committee will be established to appoint a new CIO in due time."

According to a news release from the Council of Ontario Universities, which established the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) in 1971 to process applications to Ontario's universities, Wallace will take up his new position on July 1. OUAC is based in Guelph.

"At this time I would like to thank Dave for his many contributions to the University of Waterloo," the provost's memo continues. "Since joining UW in May 2012 Dave has led the transformation Information System Technology as it repositions itself to support the university’s strategic plan."

"We wish Dave all the best as he takes up his new position."

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Performance appraisals due March 16

Human Resources is reminding employees that all performance appraisals are due by Monday, March 16.

Tools for Managers are available on the Human Resources website, and resources include:

• Guidelines for completing the form
• Performance Log
• Manager FAQ
• Tips for effective performance appraisals

Tools for Staff can be found on the Human Resources website, and resources include:

• Staff FAQ
• Tips for effective performance appraisals
• Painless performance appraisals

Human Resources would also like to remind managers and staff that performance ratings are not to be entered into myHRinfo; instead all appraisals are to be sent to Compensation & Benefits Analyst Joan Kennedy in the General Services Complex, Human Resources. Ratings will be entered by Human Resources.

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Rebuilding the world from scratch

Asteroid impact. Nuclear war. Viral pandemic. The world's supply of chocolate running out.

Dealing with whatever happens after the end of the world as we know it is a tricky business, according to author and speaker Lewis Dartnell, who will be speaking at a pair of events this week about his work "The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World From Scratch."

Survivors of any apocalypse must somehow start over again, so what key pieces of knowledge are essential not only for immediate survival in the disaster's aftermath, but also to ward off a dark age and accelerate civilization's successful rebooting? That's the thought experiment behind Dartnell's work on "the behind-the scenes fundamentals of how our world works, and what drove the progression of civilization through the centuries."

On Tuesday, March 10, Dartnell will speak in DC 1302 at 2:00 p.m. at a lecture entitled "Knowledge and Civilization: Technical and Theoretical Considerations." He will explore a range of ideas, concepts and themes including the nature of invention and the relationship between scientific knowledge and technical know-how. This lecture is being presented by the Waterloo Institute for Complexity & Innovation (WICI).

"The success of The Knowledge: How To Rebuild Our World From Scratch speaks to long standing anxieties about the specialization of knowledge and technical know-how," reads the talk's abstract. "Living in the modern world, we have become disconnected from the basic processes that support our lives, as well as the beautiful fundamentals of science that enable you to relearn things for yourself. A work of popular science, The Knowledge is a book which seeks to explain ‘everything you need to know about everything.’ A thought experiment premised on the collapse of the modern world, the book is an attempt to provide ‘a quickstart guide for rebooting civilization.’ Outlining dozens of critical technologies and inventions – from quick lime to the crystal radio – Dartnell’s book also raises a series of fascinating questions about how societies create and sustain scientific and technical understanding as well as practical know-how."

On Wednesday, March 11, Dartnell will speak at The Museum at 7:00 p.m. at an event presented in co-operation with Words Worth Books, THEMUSEUM, and WICI. A book signing will follow the lecture. The cost for the event is $5, which also includes admission to THEMUSEUM's current exhibits, Dinosaurs: The Edge of Extinction and Getting Naked.

Dartnell is a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester. He also holds an STFC Science in Society Fellowship, and alongside his astrobiology research writes regular science articles in newspapers and magazines, and has appeared in TV shows such as BBC Horizon, Wonders of the Universe, and documentaries on National Geographic, Discovery and History channels. The Knowledge: How To Rebuild Our World From Scratch is his third book.

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Celebrating the career of Bud Walker

Friends and colleagues of Bud Walker are being invited to a thank-you celebration on Tuesday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. in the Village 1 Great Hall as he prepares to retire from his current position of Special Advisor to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost.

Walker joined the University of Waterloo in 1971 as manager of student information systems, and later became Director of Data Processing. He received an MASc in Management Sciences from Waterloo in 1973.

In 1996 he was named the University's Director of Business Operations, with responsibilities over retail operations and ancillary enterprises including the bookstore and Waterloo Store, graphics services, food services, the University Club, WatCard, the Humanities Theatre and the residences.

From 2009 to 2012, he served as Interim Associate Provost, Student Services after the retirement of Catharine Scott. At the time, the portfolio included the student life office, athletics and recreational services, the Student Life Centre, counselling services, health services, the ombudsperson, the office for persons with disabilities, and the theatre centre. During that time, the business operations portfolio, including retail services, housing and residences, and food services, was folded into that of the Associate Provost, Students.

After Chris Read was named Associate Provost, Students in 2012, Walker stayed on as a Special Advisor to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost.

He has been a fixture at meetings of the University's Executive Council since 1997 and holds the record as senior Waterloo administrator with the longest continuous service to the University.

“Bud is well known on campus for many things, but his passion for both the university and the student experience rise above everything else," writes Chris Read. "He’s made a tremendous impact – one that will last a very, very long time.”

The thank-you celebration begins at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17.

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International Women's Week in review

This is the latest in a series of #UWCommunity stories that feature Waterloo in the community.

International Women’s Day is an annual worldwide celebration that honors women's achievements, marking March 8th as a time to uphold female success, face challenges head on, and focus greater attention on gender equality to mobilize all people to do their part.

Thousands of events are held across the world, with the hope of inspiring individuals to think globally, but act locally. During the week, there are a number of diverse campus and community activities where the University of Waterloo recognizes and celebrates the importance of this day.

Our campus had opportunities to lean in and get involved in activities like film screenings, interactive sports, and a feminist photo booth during the UW Women’s Centre’s week of action.

In our community, leaders from the University joined in at local celebrations to show the University’s leadership and support. Key events included participation at the Zonta International Women’s Day dinner.

Read the rest of the story on the Community Relations blog.

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Tuesday's notes

Emerging quantum technologies will change the way our online information is stored and secured, and we need to start planning now if we want to be cyber-safe in time. That's the gist of a public lecture scheduled for tomorrow evening tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre that will be delivered by Professor Michele Mosca, quantum-safe cryptography expert and co-founder of the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.

In his talk, “Cybersecurity in a quantum world – will we be ready?”, Professor Mosca will discuss the new security challenges of evolving quantum technologies, and ways to protect ourselves from security threats such as viruses, fraud and identity theft.

Seating is limited, but seats can be registered online. For more information, please visit the website for the event. 

Unusually deep frost has scuppered Aecon's plan to "torpedo" a new gas line connection between the Student Life Centre and the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre, and so a more conventional open-trench installation will be taking place. During this time, the pathway between the two buildings will be closed to pedestrians until later this week.

Here's today's Nutrition Month "myth vs. fact" provided by Health Services Dietician Sandra Ace:

Myth: Beans are too gassy to eat regularly.

Fact: Adding beans and lentils to your diet several times a week is good for your health, your grocery bill and the environment. These nutritional powerhouses are excellent sources of soluble fibre, slowly released carbohydrate, protein and numerous vitamins and minerals including folic acid and iron.

Legumes have the reputation of causing an unpleasant aftereffect of intestinal gas for some people. This is the result of normal bacterial fermentation of undigested sugars in the gut. If you find indulging in in “the musical fruit” causes more than a tolerable amount of gas, try these suggestions from Ontario Bean Growers:

• Gradually increase beans in your diet
• Rinse dry beans under cold running water before soaking
• Soak beans overnight and after soaking, rinse beans again before cooking in fresh water
• Rinse beans after cooking if the recipe allows
• When using canned beans, discard the canning liquid and rinse beans under plenty of cool water
• Avoid eating beans with other gas-producing vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli
• Try an over-the counter enzyme-based digestive aid such as Beano^®

You’ll find some tasty bean and lentil recipes on the Dietitians of Canada Cookspiration app.

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