A ‘viewbook’ aimed at the international market tells potential students about everything from academic programs to the opportunities for campus leadership. The cover of the 44-page book, developed by the Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment office and UW Graphics, displays the familiar “learn from experience” UW slogan in a dozen languages. The book has won a bronze award from the “Prix d’Excellence” awards from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. Judges said the book is “packed with useful information, yet so creatively designed that it flows from cover to cover. . . . The content is engaging, simple, yet focused and completely on target.”

Back to top

Cameron, Ng, are new University Professors

Roy Cameron of health studies and gerontology and Flora Ng of chemical engineering are UW’s two newest University Professors, members of UW’s Senate learned at their March meeting. The designation is the university’s highest academic honour. The two will be recognized at convocation in June.

Cameron (left) is the director of the Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation (CBRPE) based at UW under the aegis of the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC). The centre’s mandate is “generating evidence that can be used in shaping policies and programs linked to the prevention of cancer and to the quality of life of people living with cancer.”

Cameron, a clinical psychologist, is developing the science of population intervention, with the aim of helping large groups of people make lifestyle changes leading to better health. In 2007, he was one of six individuals or teams to receive a Diamond Jubilee Award from the NCIC, “to recognize researchers who have made truly outstanding contributions to cancer research in Canada over their careers.”

Ng (right) is recognized internationally for having developed the Avada process for the production of ethyl acetate, in partnership with BP Chemicals, UK. The process won an Astra Zeneca Award in 2002 for the Best Green Chemistry and Engineering Process.

This year, Ng was awarded the Catalysis Award from the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) for her “distinguished contribution to the field,” says the CIC citation. “She is a leading expert on catalytic distillation, a green reactor technology which combines a catalytic reaction and separation leading to enhanced product yield, selectivity in chemical processes together with a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” Ng was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2007.

"The University of Waterloo owes much of its reputation and stature to the quality of its eminent professors,” according to a statement on the provost’s webpage. “UW recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence through the designation University Professor. Once appointed, a faculty member retains the designation for life.”

In all, 13 faculty members have received the honour since it was created in 2004, bringing the number close to the projected steady-state total of 14, not counting retirees. The others are Ken Davidson of pure mathematics, Keith Hipel of systems design engineering, Jake Sivak of optometry, Garry Rempel of chemical engineering, Mary Thompson of statistics and actuarial science, Mark Zanna of psychology, Terry McMahon of chemistry, Cameron Stewart of pure mathematics, Robert Jan Van Pelt of architecture, Phelim Boyle of accounting and finance, and Ian Munro of computer science.

Back to top

UW students start Challenge X Monday

based on a news release from UW Media Relations

On Monday, a team of UW students begins two weeks of international competition with its innovative emission-free hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.

It’s been developed as part of the final year of Challenge X, a multi-year North American competition to develop sustainable transportation solutions. Cutting-edge technology from the Alternative Fuels Team has made UW the first university in the world to successfully build a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that produces no emissions, only water.

"This is a major achievement for these students and innovators who demonstrated that they have the abilities to deliver practical solutions to climate change," says Gary Goodyear, MP for Cambridge, representing the federal government as the team showed off its vehicle for media in Toronto in late April. "Our government congratulates the Waterloo team on their innovative technologies to reduce emissions and provide cleaner air for Canadians, and we wish them luck in the competition."

UW is the only Canadian university chosen to compete in Challenge X, which involves 17 teams in North America. During the design phase, UW's detailed vehicle design process won eight of ten award categories and earned the team first place overall. Since then, the UW team has been working hard to integrate its ambitious design into a stock Chevrolet Equinox.

"This exciting project developed by our students will help keep Canada at the forefront of the automotive industry," says Adel Sedra, dean of engineering. "We are proud of these students' remarkable accomplishments and wish the team well at the Challenge X competition."

Major sponsors of the UW team include Natural Resources Canada, Hydrogenics, General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Government of Ontario, Air Liquide and Marathon Technical Services.

Starting Monday, May 12, the UW team will be visiting New Jersey, New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., to showcase their vehicle alongside those of the other 16 teams. The two-week event marks the conclusion of the four-year competition.

The teams will compete in more than a dozen static and dynamic evaluations, including tests for towing capacity, acceleration, off-road performance, greenhouse gas impact, fuel economy (well to wheels), emissions, consumer acceptability and marketing and outreach. Teams are also required to give oral presentations and submit a technical paper.

"We have built one of Canada's first passenger hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and are very keen to see how our vehicle and our technology performs and compares," says James Goh, business director of the UW team. "For us, the real value of this competition has been the first-hand exposure to some of the most groundbreaking vehicle technologies being developed to solve the challenges of tomorrow. But of course, we are also in it to win."

Back to top

Notes of news on campus and off

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Terence (Terry) Qualter (right), one of UW ’s early faculty members, passed away Thursday at the age of 83. He was born and educated in New Zealand and earned a PhD from the London School of Economics before joining UW in September 1960. A professor in political science, with an interest in elections and propanganda, he served as chair of the department in 1965-67 and 1969-72, retiring July 1, 1993. He leaves Shirley, his wife of 57 years, four children and three grandchildren. Memorial visitation at Westmount Funeral Chapel, 1001 Ottawa Street South (at Westmount Road), Kitchener, today 6 – 8 p.m., and Saturday 1 – 3 p.m., with a reception Saturday 4 – 6 p.m. at the Walper Terrace Hotel, 1 King Street West, Kitchener, in the Lafontaine Room. An obituary appears in today’s Waterloo Region Record.

Some high-profile people will be gathering at the Village of Winston Park in Kitchener this afternoon for a special announcement concerning the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. Among them will be President David Johnston; Amit Chakma, vice-president, academic and provost; John Tibbits, president of the Conestoga College Institute of Advanced Learning and Technology; and a special guest, the Honourable George Smitherman, minister of health and long-term care. More on this in Monday’s Daily Bulletin.

On Sunday, fifty-eight grade 10 students will arrive at Conrad Grebel University College to spend a week of exploring and learning as part of Waterloo Unlimited, a high school enrichment program created and run by the University of Waterloo. The theme of the week is “Vision.” The students will learn about vision in the context of science, literature, urban planning, engineering, fine arts, math, and more, presented by staff and professors from various UW programs and faculties.

During the week, Waterloo Unlimited is hosting a series of public events:

• Education Unlimited for a Global Village, with Amit Chakma, vice-president, academic and provost, Sunday, 7 – 8:15 p.m., Centre for Environmental and Information Technology, Room 1015
• The Mystery of the Misplaced Spectacles, with Graham Strong, director of the Centre for Sight Enhancement. Tuesday, 7 – 8:15 p.m., Centre for Environmental and Information Technology, Room 1015
• What We Know vs. What We See, with Art Green, artist and retired UW professor, Thursday, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., East Campus Hall Room 1219

Compass Consulting, a team of health studies and gerontology graduate students, will compete as finalists in the Canadian Evaluation Society national case competition being held in Quebec City on Monday as part of the society’s annual conference. The team was one of three chosen from across Canada for this annual event. Team members are Robin Blanchard, Colleen Dwyer, Michelle Vibert, and Sarah Viehbeck. Their competitors are from the University of Ottawa and Georgian College. A press release from the society continues: “The case competition helps senior university students to build their skills in evaluating public policies and programs. In the preliminary round this year, teams had to propose an approach for evaluating the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative – a multi-million-dollar partnership of the three levels of government. The finalists were judged based on their submission in the preliminary round in which 15 teams from across Canada competed.”

This reminder from the Presidential Nominating Committee: today is the last day for sending comments on the proposed reappointment of David Johnston as president for a third term of two years. The initial invitation to faculty and staff was sent by e-mail during the week of April 7.

CPA Staff

Back to top