Here's how Leung describes the project: "The laboratory provides state-of-the-art diagnostic and fabrication facilities for the development of novel biotechnological, environmental and strategic materials. With the capabilities to design and build unique 3-dimensional nanostructures and to precisely control their properties, the laboratory promises to deliver important new discoveries of hybrid materials and exciting emerging technologies, specifically in the areas of bio-nanotechnology and molecular electronics."

In describing the impact the operating fund grant will have on the project, Zhou said: "The grant will strengthen our position as a first-class centre for advanced materials joining, especially in the areas of laser welding and materials processing and micro-joining (including laser and resistance micro-welding, wire bonding and soldering). The main industries that will benefit include medical devices, electronics components and automotive assemblies. It will also attract highly qualified personnel (including faculty members, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows) in the area of materials joining."

Says Gorbet: "The grant will allow me and my colleagues to hire the technical support to help maintain and oversee the infrastructure purchased with the CFI New Opportunities award. This money will help ensure that the equipment remains accessible and in working order, something we would otherwise have had to do ourselves."

Registrar's staff are scattered "The Registrar's Office is being renovated," writes UW registrar Ken Lavigne. "The Customer Service area, including Student Awards, is still operating from its space in Needles Hall. Students will, therefore, deal with us in the same place as usual. Other staff have been relocated to space in Needles Hall and Tatham Centre. We can be reached at our published e-mail addresses and telephone extensions."

St. Jerome's professor is mourned

Gerald Stortz (left), a history professor at St. Jerome's University for almost two decades,

Said a letter from St. Jerome's president Michael Higgins: "Dr. Stortz attended the University of Waterloo and University of Guelph. He had been a member of St. Jerome's University's History Department since 1985 and had served as Department Chair for many years.

"A past president of the Canadian Historical Association, he studied the history of Catholic Church in English-speaking Canada and co-edited, with Terence Murphy, Creed and Culture: The Place of English-Speaking Catholics in Canadian Society, 1750-1930. He was also the co-author, with Dr. Kenneth McLaughlin and Fr. James Wahl, of Enthusiasm for the Truth: An Illustrated History of St. Jerome's University, published in 2002.

"Gerry lived in Guelph with his wife, Karol, and his daughters Emily and Martha."

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Church of Our Lady, 28 Norfolk Street, Guelph, followed by a funeral mass at noon.

Staff donor gives to scholarships

"When she is not handling the secretarial needs of faculty members and teaching assistants," said the profile, "Marguarite enjoys her involvement with the Women in Engineering Committee and UW's Office of Conflict Management and Human Rights."

Of course, the profile emphasized Knechtel's involvement with the Keystone Campaign, which is seeking to raise $4.5 million for the university from faculty, staff and retirees as part of Campaign Waterloo. And so it asked, "What has motivated you personally to give to Waterloo?" The answer: "The pursuit of knowledge is important to me. It's also important that knowledge is available to everyone."

To what project have you designated your gift? "I give to the Ontario Graduate Scholarships -- the Ontario government offers a 2:1 match for my donation."

How did you first come in contact with the University of Waterloo? "I was living in Milton, in the process of moving to Elmira, when I discovered my daughter needed braces. It made sense to find an Orthodontist in Waterloo and it was during one of Ruthie's appointments that I came across a UW continuing education calendar. A course 'Quest for Meaning in Film' caught my eye. After chatting with the Mature Student Services Office, they suggested I start with a course that interested me -- I've always been fascinate with spirituality -- so I registered. Since then, I've completed a general degree in Arts, two certificates in Social Work at Renison College, and in 1995, 1 completed a major in Religious Studies. From time to time, I audit interesting courses."

What do you like to do in your spare time? "Apparently, I started volunteering when I was eight years old -- I see a need and do what I can. In addition to my UW volunteer commitments, I'm on the boards of Saint Monica House and Emmanuel United Church, and on occasional weekends I work at a group home for brain damaged persons. I also enjoy teaching ceramics (I have a studio in my basement), stained glass, and I've recently taken up water colour painting."

Solar panels are finally in place on top of Federation Hall, as the weekend provided enough dry weather to get the job done for the Solar Technology Education Project. Electricity from the 36-panel solar array will be fed into the campus electricity grid, "and will help clean the air," adds STEP organizer Jeff DeLoyde. A "grand unveiling" for the project is scheduled for January. Photo by Barb Elve.

Today's events and other notes

Dozens of volunteers who helped the recent United Way campaign reach its $150,000 goal will have lunch today at the Laurel Room in South Campus Hall. It's described by the campaign organizers as "a time to meet new friends and old, share memories, pictures, and success". At last report, gifts (from faculty, staff and retirees) and special events had raised $168,451 at UW to support local service and charitable agencies.

Three graduate students in the Certificate in University Teaching program will present their research reports today. Talks start at 2 p.m. in Math and Computer room 5158. Today's presenters are Claire Davies ("Instructional Technologies, Gender and Discipline Differences"), Alex Lau ("Learning Styles"), and Jennifer Percival ("Bringing Real Life to the Management Sciences Classroom: A Case Approach").

The UW bookstore is holding a "Books Blowout Sale" today through Thursday in the South Campus Hall concourse, "with huge discounts on a large selection of general interest books", just in time for Christmas shopping.

The first in a series of "events for aspiring high-tech entrepreneurs", sponsored by Communitech, will be held today, starting at 3 p.m. at Federation Hall. "This event," such ambitious folks are promised, "will expose you to a number of successful high-tech entrepreneurs who will talk about their experiences, give you real-life views of what being a high-tech entrepreneur is all about, and share their strategies for getting companies started." Admission ranges from free to several hundred dollars, depending on who you are -- details, 888-9944.

Other events tomorrow: chamber music for woodwinds by "Licorice Allsorts", 12:30, Conrad Grebel University College chapel; grand opening of the new office for persons with disabilities, 3 p.m.; "smarter health seminar" on "Creating a Vocabulary of Medicine", 3 p.m., Davis Centre room 1302; Waterloo Space Society meeting with Philomena Bonis, graduate of International Space University, 5:30 p.m., CEIT room 1015.

CAR