Canada in changing international arena: The third multidisciplinary University of Waterloo-Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students' Conference from Friday to Sunday (Aug. 20 to 22) will discuss "Canada in the Changing International Arena." Discussion and papers to be presented at the conference represent a variety of disciplines, such as law, economics, sociology, political science and geography, to provide different perspectives on the theme. The conference opens Friday at 7 p.m. at UW's Hagey Hall, Room 373 with a session on "Canadian Regionalism and the International Arena." Sessions on Saturday are: "The Problems and Issues of Ethno-Nationalism Within Canada's Federalist Structure" (9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.) and a roundtable on "Canada's Foreign Policy Role -- Peacekeeping Versus Peacemaking? (1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.), both at WLU's Paul Martin Centre. At 7 p.m. Saturday, the annual dinner at the Bricker Conference Centre, WLU, features keynote speaker Prof. Leo Panitch, a political scientist at York University in Toronto. On Sunday, there will be roundtable discussions on "Addressing the Concept of Post-Industrialization from a Canadian Perspective" (10 a.m. to Noon) and "Canada and International Trade Issues" (1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.), both at UW's Hagey Hall, Room 373. The public can attend the conference; registration fee is $25. Contact Joanne Voisin, 885-1211, ext. 2100. Co-chairs of the conference are: Katrina MacDonald and Tina Martimianakis, both of WLU, and Kathy Martin and Susanne Soederberg, of UW. UW appoints new coach for women's basketball: The University of Waterloo has named Kathy Keats as the new women's varsity basketball head coach, as well as supervisor of the campus recreation club and tournament. Keats is a former all-star player for the national university champions, the University of Victoria. She has also competed in the 1985 and 1987 Canada Games, in addition to the 1992 World Club Championships in Brazil. Her coaching experience includes stints as assistant coach with the British Columbia Canada Games Team, assistant coach at the University of Victoria and head coach of the U of Vic's junior varsity team. She is a recent graduate of the U of Vic with a bachelor of science degree in human performance. Keats has also completed the National Coaching Institute's Level 4 and part of Level 5 certification program. At UW, she takes over as head coach from Denise Dignard, who is now at the University of Ottawa. Warden of residence at UW receives student affairs award: Capping a 25- year career as the University of Waterloo's warden of residence, Prof. Ron Eydt has received a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Association of Colleges and Universities Student Services. Eydt recently received the Student Affairs Division's Distinguished Accomplishment Award. As warden, he's responsible for a multi-million- dollar operation that houses 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students in five residences, including townhouses and apartments. "Ron has been a tremendous leader and role model in student affairs," says Peter Hopkins, UW's associate provost for student affairs. "Doc, as he is affectionately known, has been a mentor and role model for well over 1,000 residence dons during his tenure." Besides his warden duties, Eydt is a faculty member in the biology department. "His popular first-year biology course was always over- subscribed by students from all years and faculties," Hopkins says. Under his leadership, students in the village residences have raised more than $300,000 for local charities. Eydt was among the first UW employees to join the Canadian student services association, and has served a term as president of its student affairs division. In addition, he has been treasurer of the Ontario Committee on Student Affairs. Top German scientist wins international research prize: A German scientist, Prof. Geerd Diercksen, was won Canada Council's 1993 Canada- Germany Research Award to conduct collaborative work for a year at the University of Waterloo and Queen's University in Kingston. Diercksen, a member of the Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics at Garching bei Munchen, was nominated for the prize by both UW and Queen's. He will conduct research on quantum theoretical studies of atomic and molecular structure and properties. A member of the institute since 1965, he has authored or co-authored almost 200 publications in the fields of theoretical molecular physics, computational physics and computer science. At UW, he will work with Profs Josef Paldus and Jiri Cizek, of the department of applied mathematics. John Morris/Jim Fox, UW News Bureau (519) 885-1211, ext. 6047/888-4444 jmorris@mc1adm.uwaterloo.ca jfox@mc1adm.uwaterloo.ca