Montréal vs. BC in the Grey Cup

Daily Bulletin

Honorary degree for graduate dean

On the 75th anniversary of the affiliation of the École d'Optométrie with the U de M, Sivak is being presented with an honorary doctorate for his exceptional career as a professor and university researcher" and for his "remarkable contribution to the development of vision sciences".

Sivak graduated from the École d'Optométrie in 1967 but, unlike most of his classmates, felt drawn to a career in research. "At that time the profession was small and relatively unknown," Sivak recalls. But he had a vision. "As I learned more, an idea began to formulate in my mind to the effect that the logical focus for the study of vision science was the profession of optometry."

After a year in private practice, he earned a master's degree in physiological optics at Indiana University and a PhD in physiology at Cornell University -- before joining the faculty at UW the same year -- and a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

Sivak's pioneering work has been recognized widely, notes the citation from the U de M. He is the first researcher in optometry to have his work funded by the National Research Council of Canada (now NSERC), the first to receive funding from the Medical Research Council of Canada, and the first Canadian scientist whose research was honored by the American Academy of Optometry, which presented Sivak with the Glenn Fry award in 1984 for his work on visual optics. He is also the recipient of the Canadian University Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Research in Optometry.

In addition to his comparative studies of the visual optics in animals -- particularly penguins -- Sivak is widely recognized for developing an in vitro method for the evaluation of toxic effects of chemicals using the eyes of cattle from slaughterhouses as an alternative to the Draize test on living animals.

Sivak holds six patents on optical devices and processes, and has published extensively. Recent work has focused on cataract research and the effect of the visual environment on the early refractive development of the eye.

As director of the UW school of optometry for four terms, Sivak was instrumental in forging closer links between his alma mater, the only French-language school of optometry in Canada, and the only English-language school, the one at UW.

UW president David Johnston also made a recent trip to the country's second-largest city to receive an honorary degree.

Johnston's honorary LLD was bestowed by McGill University -- where he served as principal from 1979 to 1994 -- at its fall convocation, held in the Molson Centre November 9.

"Quite simply," said the university's former chancellor, Gretta Chambers, "David Johnston loved McGill: the students and staff who peopled it, the alumni who supported it, the kindly ghosts who haunted it. . . . Over the years he spent as principal of McGill, David Johnston often said he held the best job in the country. McGill and the community it serves can be grateful that he did."

Johnston gave the convocation address -- "extemporaneously", he says, "from back-of-the-envelope notes".

Bank sees bright future for Waterloo

One reason, says the bank, is the "excellent" educational institutions in the area, "three top-notch universities" plus Conestoga College. It notes: "The region was likely disproportionately hurt by fiscal cutbacks in the 1990s due to its relatively large role in post-secondary education. . . . However, the region is now benefiting from renewed government spending, which is visible in increasing grants to universities and hospitals."

The study was commissioned by the bank and the Canada's Technology Triangle organization, which promotes the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph conurbation. It says economic conditions in the area "have been very strong during the past three years and are likely to remain solid through 2005". Some highlights:

• "Synergies between academia and the private sector in the areas of information- and bio-technologies, coupled with entrepreneurial dynamism within the region, have spurred robust growth in advanced manufacturing, education, and professional/scientific services."
• "Manufacturing employment is rising sharply; in the CTT, its share of total employment is much higher than in Ontario and the country as a whole. In addition to having strong representation in the very fast-growth manufacturing segment that produces information-communications equipment, the region is well endowed with 'older economy' companies, including those in vehicle assembly, auto parts, and plastics. Many of these 'older economy' firms incorporate state-of-the-art, "high tech", high precision technologies."
• "Excellent educational facilities, employment opportunities, residential facilities, and easy access to other major metropolitan centres in Canada and the United States have provided a strong draw of population from other countries, provinces, and other parts of Ontario. Population growth in the CTT is well above the national average and the region's demographics reveal a youthful skew and relatively high average family income."
• "Economic prospects for the region are very favourable. This reflects our view that North American economic growth, while moderating from its booming pace of the past couple of years, will remain reasonable. It also reflects positive region-specific fundamentals."
• "Relatively fast growth in population, the region's youthful orientation, and healthy gains in employment and disposable income have generated vibrant conditions for retailers and home builders. These factors, plus rising business investment in plant and machinery, are also stimulating business activity for wholesalers."
• "In light of the above, we expect economic growth in the CTT region to surpass that for Ontario as a whole during the next couple of years, running at an average annual pace of 4.5%. This would be down from more than 6% during the 1999-2000 interval. Nevertheless, it would be a very strong result, making the region one of the growth leaders in Canada. As the economic expansion in North America recovers to its longer-term potential of about 3.5% during 2003-2005 following a moderate slowdown in 2001-2002, growth in the CTT could very well shift up to 5% or better during that period."

"One challenge for this region is to continue to attract knowledgeable and skilled workers to keep up with the fast pace of business creation and expansion. The importance of meeting this challenge has been recognized by municipal governments, who are embarking on projects designed to enhance the quality of living in the area, such as the Millennium project in Waterloo. Private and government grants to the Universities in the area, which will allow them to enlarge their facilities and increase enrolment, will also help to expand the skilled workforce in the region."

Election is one weekend away

Among them: third-year UW math student Paul Royston (right), who's representing the New Democratic Party in the Kitchener Centre riding.

Kitchener Centre includes most of the city of Kitchener (the rest is in Kitchener-Waterloo riding). Kitchener Centre is currently represented by a Liberal, Karen Redman, who's seeking re-election as part of Jean Chrétien's government.

Royston says he's running "in order to make a difference in our country today. We live in the best country in the world: I want to help make it better." UWStudent.Org reported last week that Royston has been involved with the NDP "since age twelve" and "was asked by the previous NDP candidate, David Brohman, to run". The site also noted that Royston has a fall-back political plan: he's also running for president of the Math Society at UW.

A total of five candidates are seeking election in Kitchener Centre. Besides Royston and Redman, they are Steven Gadbois (Progressive Conservative), Eloise Jantzi (Canadian Alliance), and Martin Suter (Communist).

Polls will be open on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. By law, employees are entitled to three consecutive hours off work to vote. "For most staff on campus there is no requirement to provide additional time off," says Neil Murray of the human resources department. "For example, if employees work until no later than 6:30 p.m. on election day, they will have three hours to vote and therefore no additional time off is required. However, in cases where an employee does not have three consecutive hours off due to their work schedule, they should discuss with their supervisor."

Jazz . . . and cathedral song UW musicians show off their talents in two concerts this weekend. Tonight at 8:00, in the great hall of Conrad Grebel College, it's the Stage Band: "Take a Walk on the Jazz Side of Town". Works include George Gershwin, Chuck Mangione, and even Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust". Saturday night at 8, in St. Peter's Lutheran Church in downtown Kitchener, it's the UW Choir along with the University of Guelph Choir: "Songs from English Cathedrals", music by Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Leonard Bernstein. Tickets for either concert are $8, students and seniors $5.

Today and on the weekend

The joint health and safety committee meets at 9 this morning in Needles Hall room 3001.

Today brings a repeat of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System training session offered by UW's safety office. It runs for about an hour, starting at 10 a.m., in Davis Centre room 1304.

Co-op students who don't yet have winter term jobs are reminded that today is the deadline for submitting 15 copies of the resume package together with the "continuous phase registration form", at the co-op department in Needles Hall.

Flu shot clinics continue. Today in the Student Life Centre, from 11:00 to 5:30, there are vaccinations for people whose surnames begin with the letters S through Z. Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., all faculty, staff and students are welcome to get their shots.

It's the second and last day for the staff association craft sale, being held in Davis Centre room 1301 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). On offer: "sewing crafts; knitted and crocheted items; hand painted rocks; pottery; numerous kitchen grafts; decorative candles; stained glass; many wooden crafts and tole painted items; Christmas ornaments; numerous clay items;" well, you get the idea. And there will be a raffle for prizes.

In the political science department, Andrew Cooper speaks this morning on "Waiting at the Perimeter: Making US Policy in Canada" (10:30 a.m., Humanities room 334).

The Touring Players are back in the Humanities Theatre today, with performances of "Elliot Moose" at 10:00, 11:45 and 1:30.

The LT3 Centre sponsors a "research roundtable" today about Open Text's LiveLink software, "a potential next generation courseware management system" -- 2:00 p.m. (that's a change from the previously announced 2:30), in Dana Porter Library room 329.

It'll be a trivial evening at St. Jerome's University: the "first annual Trivia Challenge" starts at 7:30 in the Community Centre, with team competitions, pizza and cash bar. Tickets: 884-8111 ext. 255.

Off campus, but with some UW people involved, is a concert tonight at 8:00 at Emmanuel United Church in central Waterloo. Rev. Mark Curtis, "the singing priest", performs in support of the St. Monica House shelter. Tickets are $20; Marguarite Knechtel in the civil engineering department is among people who have them for sale.

Down at Wilfrid Laurier University, opera students tonight offer a program of excerpts from five operas (including Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades" and Britten's "Turn of the Screw"). The show is scheduled for 8:00 tonight, and again tomorrow night, in the Theatre Auditorium; tickets are $8.

The Jewish Students Association will hold its Chanukah party on Saturday night, in cooperation with Jewish groups from at least eight other Ontario universities. (Chanukah doesn't actually start until December 22, but exams are looming.) Party location: Time Square restaurant on King Street. E-mail for more information: weis6400@mach1.wlu.ca.

Sports this weekend: The squash Warriors, male variety, host the west division sectional tournament in the Physical Activities Complex tonight. Saturday, the male basketballers host George Brown College in the PAC main gym (2 p.m.) and swimmers of both sexes host York University in the PAC pool, also at 2. Away from home, both volleyball teams play at Ryerson tonight; the women's basketball team is at Lakehead tonight; the figure skaters are at Queen's today; the hockey Warriors are at the Royal Military College tomorrow afternoon and at Queen's on Sunday; the badminton team is at Brock on Sunday.

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca | (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
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