Waterloo leads in innovation and education

by Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor.

First things first: congratulations to our students who have just finished the Winter 2014 academic term, and to all faculty and staff for making it possible.

I wish each and every one of you the best as you head into a co-op job, a spring-time academic term, or other opportunities. And of course, a special congratulations to all students who have just completed their degrees from the University of Waterloo. I’ll see you in June!

April has been an outstanding month – I could not be more energized by the path our university is on, thanks to your hard work and commitment.

This month started off with a meeting of the University of Waterloo’s board of governors. We had an excellent discussion about Strategic Plan implementation, as well as other items pertaining to university governance. As always, our board provided excellent feedback, suggestions, and comments that will continue to inform and support our work.

Like us, our governors know that experiential learning is critical to the university’s reputation and its appeal to incoming students.  In that spirit, I was thrilled to help celebrate our incredible “co-op students of the year” this month.

The six honorees joined me and special guest Steven Woods, Engineering Director of Google Canada and a great friend of the university, for a luncheon in their honour in our boardroom at Needles Hall.

Check out Waterloo’s Facebook page for photos.

On the 14^th and 15^th, our university hosted the second annual Waterloo Innovation Summit, a “networking and ideation platform” for some of the world’s most inspiring thinkers, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

Owning the theme of innovation is critical to Waterloo’s reputation, and more importantly, it’s just who we are. This summit was an excellent instrument for keeping Waterloo on the leading edge of the innovation agenda in Canada and beyond. Congratulations to all organizers, panelists, discussants, and contributors on a job very well done.

April also saw Waterloo exercise a leadership role in innovation and education far beyond the confines of main campus.

I joined Waterloo alumni, senior colleagues, and special guests in launching our Vancouver Alumni Chapter, bringing our total number of alumni chapters to 10 world-wide. Our alumni are key members of the Waterloo family, and it was wonderful to see them come together to hoist the Waterloo flag in one of Canada’s greatest cities.

On April 16, the Waterloo Global Science Initiative, which I serve as vice-chair on behalf of the University of Waterloo, released its Equinox Blueprint: Learning 2030 report at the World Literacy Summit held in the United Kingdom. Learning 2030 challenges the global education community to re-think secondary education, and re-tool it for success in the 21^st century.

We should all be immensely proud that the University of Waterloo is exercising significant thought leadership in the broader education dialogue around the world. As a leader in education and innovation, our involvement in Learning 2030 is an excellent symbol of our capacity for global sectoral leadership.

Last but by no means least, I am presently in China building institutional relationships between the University of Waterloo and some of the most prestigious and elite academic institutions in this country, including Tianjin University, Soochow University, Nanjing University and Tsinghua University.

This work builds on our Strategic Plan’s internationalization strategy of sustaining “global prominence” for Waterloo and ensuring our cadre of partnerships is truly top tier.

Waterloo’s ongoing success is possible only because you make it so, in your own unique way, every day and every month.

Thank you for all your effort over the Winter term, and best of luck for the Spring.

As always, I warmly welcome your feedback and comments on these updates to president@uwaterloo.ca. I can’t promise I’ll be able to respond to every message, but I will read every single one!

Sincerely,

Feridun

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A "light bulb" moment for Waterloo nanotech

by Kira Vermond.

Want a crisp cool white light to wake you up in the morning and a warm yellow glow to wind you down at night? How about a spray for your windows that will let sunlight in during the day but illuminate your living room at night?

Scientists at the University of Waterloo are working to actually give consumers these options with a new nanotech light bulb that could revolutionize energy-efficient lighting.

Pavle Radovanovic, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry is combining nanoparticles that absorb energy from external sources, with organic dye molecules to create pure white light that can actually be tuned to fall anywhere on the colour spectrum.

“We are coming closer to actually being able to produce white light for any given environment,” says Radovanovic, who is also a member of the University’s Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.

Waterloo technology has warm light and energy efficiency

Advancing energy efficient and inexpensive lighting technology is important because incandescent bulbs – which many people still prefer for their warm light – are notoriously energy inefficient. They typically convert up to five per cent of electricity into light while the rest becomes heat.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) contain dangerous mercury and emit a cool bluish light few want in their homes. LED light bulbs are gaining traction, but users still complain about price, and the ghostly, poor-quality hue.

Radovanovic’s technology addresses these concerns and could be used in multiple and exciting ways since the nanocrystals are transparent and can be developed in liquid form as a spray solution for your windows that could light a room.

Research team looks to launch nanotech startup

With so many possible applications, it’s little wonder light manufacturers are taking notice and Radovanovic is in talks with an intellectual venture capital firm. A start-up company may be on the horizon.

Even so, Radovanovic is quick to point out that none of it would have happened without his team’s commitment to advancing fundamental research.

“We did not say, ‘OK, we’re going to go out and create a new light emitting device that nobody else has done before.’ If you do the basic science right, then usually all kinds of unexpected applications come from it,” he says.

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Keeping the #newUWrez discussion going

by Amanda Annarilli.

You may have heard the buzz about the “#newUWrez”. Housing & Residences is looking for feedback as we gear up to build a new residence facility. We believe the new residence won’t only ensure our continuation of the first-year residence guarantee, but it will also increase the quality of life and quality of learning for all of our future student residents.

This is a very exciting time for Glen Weppler, Director of Housing & Residences. Glen is seeking honest feedback from the community. Staff, faculty and students are encouraged to share their thoughts via Twitter directly to Glen Weppler himself: @Wepps. This is a great opportunity for students to share their ideas and help to design a new residence that suits their needs.

The new residence will be approximately 500 beds and will be built near UWP. The consultation began in January and in early April the Board of Governors gave the go ahead for the next phase in the process.

Check out the latest floor plan here. Criticism and comments are welcome as this floor plan will be refined to create the final design.

Follow the new Waterloo residence discussion through the Housing blog and the hashtag (#newUWrez) on Twitter.

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Campus construction work, other notes

Plant Operations has announced that water main repair work outside Burt Matthews Hall will take place on Monday, April 28 beginning at 7:30 a.m. The work will be taking place in front of BMH facing the Columbia Street entrance in the bus lay-by.

The walkway in front of BMH and one half of the ring road will be closed, with a flagperson in place to assist with directing traffic. Some of the bus lay-by will also be blocked off. Vehicles will still be able to enter and exit the north Columbia Street entrance, but drivers and pedestrians alike should exercise caution.

Human Resources has announced the following retirements, effective April 1:

• Patrick Mihm, who started working at the University in June 1984 and retired as Mechanic 1 - Plant Operations;
• Douglas Campbell, who began working at Waterloo in August 1983 and retired as Electrician - Plant Operations;
• Michael Holmes, who started at the University in March 1983 and retired as Computer Systems technician in the Library;
• Dominik Gratzer, who started in August 1996 and retired as Director  in the Audio Visual Centre;
• Rosemary Chase, who began working at the University in October 1986 and retired as Assistant Media Co-ordinator in the Audio Visual Centre;
• Helen Warren, who started in September 1984, and retired as Administrative Co-ordinator, Research Services in Statistics and Actuarial Science;
• Olga Zolkowski, who started work at the University in July 1990, and retired as Housekeeper in Housing and Residences; and
• Marsha Wendell, who began working at Waterloo in February 1975 and retired as Arts Computer Experience Co-ordinator in Co-op and Arts Special Programs.

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