July 2, 2002

Tuesday, July 2, 2002

New in the seats of power
This year's Shads hit campus
Continuing education for small business
Student plans for Asia trade mission
And a few other notes today

Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

Middle day of the year (important to Vikings)

[Bernath]
Peter Bernath, UW chemistry professor, adjusts a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, like the miniature version that will be launched by Canada's SCISAT-1 satellite to measure the absorption of sunlight by the atmosphere. Bernath, who heads the scientific team for the project, will be in Winnipeg today for the Canadian Space Agency's unveiling of SCISAT-1, which is scheduled to be launched next January.

[Crossley]
John Crossley, new principal of Renison College, is somewhere on the Trans-Canada Highway today, en route to Waterloo from Charlottetown, where he was vice-president (academic) of the University of Prince Edward Island. He's expected at Renison imminently.

New in the seats of power

A number of UW departments have new chairs as of July 1, and other administrative positions have new occupants. Here's a list of those that have come to my notice:

John Crossley becomes principal of Renison College.

Geoff Wall of the department of geography becomes associate dean (graduate studies) in the faculty of environmental studies.

Marlene Epp becomes dean of Conrad Grebel University College.

Alison Pedlar becomes associate dean (graduate studies and research) in the faculty of applied health sciences. Also in the AHS faculty, Richard Wells becomes acting associate dean (computing and special projects).

Philip Howarth becomes chair of the department of geography.

Jane Buyers becomes chair of the department of fine arts.

Susan Shaw becomes chair of the department of recreation and leisure studies.

Stephen McColl becomes chair of the department of health studies and gerontology.

This year's Shads hit campus -- from Linda Carson of Shad International

The Shads are coming, the Shads are coming!

The exceptional becomes everyday at Shad Valley Waterloo: the usual 48 high-achieving teens with strong interest in science, technology and entrepreneurship converging on Conrad Grebel University College for a month-long immersion in innovation, initiative and design; tried-and-true setting at a top-notch university known for innovation itself; same-old-same-old hands-on workshops in digital design, robotics, biotech, art and improv; and yet again, a slate of motivational speakers from the inventive knitter, Sally Melville, to the hyperkinetic economist, Larry Smith.

Also beginning today: Summer camps for children
We're looking forward to a workshop by the UW chapter of Engineers Without Borders on Sunday evening, where EWB will get the Shads building low-tech water filters suitable for use in developing countries.

Workshops are mornings from 9:30 to 11:30. Next week, we expect to offer a VR workshop with Carolyn McGregor of systems design, image processing with Theresa Cooke, and biotechnology with Julie Gauley. There's also a team going off-campus to do environmental assessment work in the Speed River with Neil Thompson.

July 15-18 includes robotics, face recognition and stained glass. The following week includes improv drama, industrial robotics, and a fuzzy logic workshop by Stu Doherty, medal winner in this years SDE graduating class -- and a program assistant at Shad Valley Waterloo this summer. Saturday, July 20, we're taking the Shads to the new Cruickston Reserve to volunteer on trail maintenance. Cruickston is an interesting initiative, protecting a vulnerable greenspace through the creation of a charitable foundation to administer the site.

Continuing education for small business -- from the UW news bureau

UW's continuing education office will be joining with three other national providers to make courses available on line and by traditional distance education to small business customers of the Royal Bank of Canada.

Under the arrangement, the bank will create a special e-learning web site for its customers who are looking for ways to improve skills and ensure the success of their businesses. Selected UW courses will appear there, said Don Kasta, director of the UW office.

The subject areas cover a number of non-credit computer topics, along with several credit courses in economics and the accounting course on introduction to management, he said.

Currently RBC uses a series of print publications to cover some of these topics. The bank is investigating the demand for on-line learning for its almost 500,000 small business customers.

[Plaque on rock]
The trivial answer: A boulder in the rock garden north of the Biology building -- that's the right answer to my trivia question ("What object on public display on the UW campus is directly associated with the 1937 world's fair?"). Winner of a Warrior T-shirt from the athletics department, honouring the first correct answer received, is Todd Marshall-Taylor, language computing consultant in the faculty of arts. Correct answers also arrived on Friday from math students Lino Demasi and Ian Bailey.

Student plans for Asia trade mission -- by Stephanie Radcliffe, co-op education and career services

Lindsey Love Forester, a 2A arts applied studies student, is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. In August, she'll be off to Asia to represent the Kitchener-Waterloo information technology sector on the Junior Team Canada Economic Trade Mission.

Joining thirty other students from all across Canada, selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants, Forester will depart on a three-week visit to China and the Philippines. Together with her teammates, she will be representing some of Canada's leading companies and gathering important market research for her sponsors.

Junior Team Canada is organized by Global Vision, a non-profit association founded by leaders in education, business and government. The goal of the program is to give youth "the opportunity to learn about Canada's role in the global marketplace and to promote our companies and organizations to its international trading partners."

Each member of the trade mission must raise $4,000 in sponsorship funds from their business sector in the few weeks before departure. Forester has not yet received any official funds but she has been actively campaigning since she was confirmed as a delegate of the trade mission. A political science major with a specialization in international trade, she is currently managing a full course load while preparing for her August departure.

The team meets up in Ottawa on August 2 to prepare for the mission. Participants will be briefed on both culture and language, and will meet with Canadian leaders to learn about major growth areas in the Asian economy. From August 8 to 24, the members of the trade mission will visit such cities as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila. While in China, Forester and her team will be completing market briefs, outlining prospects, entrance strategies, trade shows and other useful information for exporters looking to the Asian marketplace for opportunities. With China's recent accession to the World Trade Organization, the JTC program is looking to explore the effects of this exciting and historic time.

With everything that needs to be accomplished before she leaves, Forester says, "I just can't wait to be on the plane!" Upon returning to Canada in the fall, she will be off to Ottawa for a co-op position at the department of foreign affairs and international trade. Her plans include a degree in international law and perhaps a career in the foreign service.

Anyone who would like to talk to Forester about a potential sponsorship can reach her by e-mail at lindseylove71@hotmail.com.

And a few other notes today

"Open enrolment" for fall undergraduate courses starts today through the Quest online system, following a month of scheduling "appointments". Says the registrar's office: "If you want to change plans or add a minor or option, please complete a Plan Modification/Application for Internal Transfer form."

Smog alert continues. Advice: "Reduce car use . . . limit use of small engine tools . . . delay exercising . . . drink lots of water . . . never leave children or pets unattended in a car."
Hot water will be shut off in the Doug Wright Engineering Building today, from 8:00 to 3:00, as the plant operations department does some work on steam vents.

A career development seminar focused on interview skills ("Selling Your Skills") is scheduled for 2:30 this afternoon. The career resource centre in Needles Hall has the details and a sign-up sheet.

The health services clinic will be closed all day tomorrow for in-service training.

Thursday will bring a two-hour session (9:00 to 11:00 a.m.) on "Dealing with Disruptive People: What You Need to Know", sponsored by the employee assistance program and the occupational health branch of health services. A sign-up sheet was sent across campus last week, and Linda Brogden in health services has more information.

And . . . in Friday's Daily Bulletin I referred to the Maple summer workshop being held at UW, saying it would take place over the long weekend. In fact, I was a month early: the event is scheduled for July 28-30.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
July 2, 1953: On Coronation Day, Gerry Hagey becomes president of Waterloo College. July 2, 1975: The failure rate in first-year engineering has reached 23 per cent, the Gazette reports -- up from not quite 6 per cent in 1968.