![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Friday |
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![['Global News' on black copter]](/images/2004/1012copter.gif)
At Waterloo Region airport yesterday, pilot Dave Tommasini, centre, poses with video crew Grant Bieman and Brian Willrich before the flight. Photo by Chris Hughes of UW Graphics, who rode with them to take still pictures of campus. |
The video, now almost complete, is intended to offer a visual overview of UW and give viewers a sense of its teaching and research strengths, campus life, and accomplishments. "It's like a calling card for the university," says Avvey Peters, associate director in C&PA. "Much like the 'We're Waterloo' annual brochure, it gives an overview of Waterloo's strengths, and tries to give viewers a glimpse of what it's like to work and study here."
It will be aimed at external audiences generally -- in Canada and beyond -- and some of the material could also be used in student recruitment. She said the video will try to capture the essence of Waterloo's "innovative" and "high-quality" reputation through images of co-op interviews, laboratory research and classrooms. One-on-one interviews with students from all the faculties show why they chose to attend Waterloo and what's kept them here.
In addition to student interviews, faculty members, employers and alumni will be seen commenting on what makes Waterloo unique and sets it apart from other universities. One interview is with Ranjana Bird, the dean of graduate studies and herself a UW graduate. "Once UW decides to do something, they move and they move fast," she tells the interviewer. "Excellence is everywhere in this university."
The video should be finished within a few weeks, and copies will be available on DVD for presentations on campus, or for those who are traveling.
She writes: "Revitalizing, informative and constructive are all words that come to mind as I think of the meetings. Approximately 200 people attended over the two sessions. The Staff Association Executive came away from the meetings having learned that we need better ways to communicate with staff about our activities; that there is overwhelming support for department/area staff association representatives; that while there are problems, UW is a good place to work -- but we just need to do some more work to make it better.
"Staff would still like to see a signed agreement between administration and staff; still feel overburdened with work, and still feel they have no where to turn when things in the workplace are not going well. There were many expressions of support for the work of the Staff Association, and many people remarked that the meetings had been an eye-opening experience about what we do.
"The Staff Association will be publishing information about the open meetings in the near future so stay tuned! Heartfelt thanks to all those who came, and who gave us so much with which to work. It is much appreciated."
The WCAS is a multi-disciplinary group of about 30 atmospheric researchers and students in UW's chemistry and earth sciences departments. The centre carries out extensive research on atmospheric science, focusing on air quality and global climate change.
The symposium will play a role in helping to set the course of action for the Border Air Quality Strategy (BAQS), a multi-year initiative to be undertaken by Canadian and U.S. governments in 2005 to strengthen co-operation in addressing trans-boundary air pollution problems.
"The symposium will help with public education and awareness of things related to the atmosphere, in particular the Border Air Quality Strategy, which is a major initiative that affects everyone," said chemistry professor James Sloan, WCAS director and key organizer of the symposium. He said the event will provide a platform for speakers from Canada and U.S. agencies that monitor air quality and pollution migration across the border.
Speakers will include Jane Barton, chief of international smog programs for Environment Canada, and Stephen Rothblatt, director of the air and radiation division of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
"The symposium will be valuable to the private sector as well, because industries will be affected by the regulations that flow from the BAQS conclusions and business interests will need be informed so they can provide feedback during the policy formulation stages," Sloan said. The day-long event will take place in the Davis Centre, and more information is available from WCAS at ext. 3526.
Dupuis, the associate director for research for UW's Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP), will serve on the group, which is an extension of Ontario's Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia. The strategy was announced by the government in 1999 and completed this year.
MAREP was involved extensively with a number of the 10 initiatives of the strategy and was primarily responsible for an initiative that focused on gaining a better understanding of caregiver needs in the dementia context. Recognizing the importance of the five-year Alzheimer strategy, the government has instituted some initiatives to support and sustain the work done.
The advisory group's mandate is to provide information about the planning for an integrated research agenda and presence on dementia and its care. This is essentially to identify and set research priorities related to the disease and related dementias in Ontario, and identify opportunities and strategies for an ongoing partnership between the government and the broader research community.
In Ontario, there are currently nearly 140,000 cases of dementia, with that number predicated to increase dramatically over the next two decades as the adult population grows. By 2010, the number of cases of dementia is estimated to jump by nearly 40 per cent over current levels and to go up by nearly 85 per cent by 2020. As there is currently no cure, Alzheimer disease and dementia have been identified as an international health priority, both for persons with dementia and their caregivers.
Coming Out Week is under way -- an important event for Gays and Lesbians of Waterloo, which will have an information booth in the Student Life Centre for most of the day today. (Officially it's Wear Jeans Because You're Gay Day, although the fine print invites people to "show that you are accepting of your own and others' sexual orientations, whatever they may be".) More special events are planned as the week goes on, including an "AfterGLOW Social" Wednesday night at the Graduate House, Friday night movies in the SLC, and a "big queer dance party" Saturday, back at the Grad House.
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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Teacher training information session 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tatham Centre,
register online.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System training available for staff, faculty and grad students -- video and quiz take a total of about 90 minutes, today 10 a.m. or Thursday 2 p.m., Davis Centre room 1304. Faculty of arts reception for new faculty members 3 p.m., Humanities room 378; faculty council meeting 3:45. Business and Investment Club presentation: "How Do You Impress Your Employer?" 5:30, Davis Centre room 1351. Toronto alumni networking and pub night, from 6 p.m., Frog and Firkin, 4854 Yonge Street. Jewish Students Association Holocaust speaker Eva Olsson, 7 p.m., Math and Computer room 2065. Hewlett-Packard "Vendor Day" Wednesday, 10 to 3, at Campus TechShop, Student Life Centre. Professional and Post-Degree Day with information about graduate and professional schools at 64 institutions, Wednesday 11:00 to 2:00, Student Life Centre. Individual appointments and mock interviews available -- book online. Jewish studies public lecture: Stephen Berk, Union College, "The Longest Hatred, Then and Now", on anti-Semitism, Thursday 7:30, Siegfried Hall, St. Jerome's University. Reception follows. |
The drama department, which had much success with its UpStart festival of one-act plays last winter, will be doing the same thing this year, says a memo from Robin Atchison over in the Theatre of the Arts environs. "we invite applications from within and outside the university community," a memo says. "Eight plays/shows will be picked by lottery. Those chosen will be performed in Hagey Hall, February 2-5 and 9-12." Applications are due by 4:30 this Friday (forms are available online or from the drama office). Upstart is described as "a fringe-style festival . . . The format of the Festival is ideally suited to script-based theatrical performances; however, performances based in dance, music, or inter-media will be considered in a non-juried arena. The Festival will only consider proposals that contain original or royalty-free material."
Accounting students, whose co-op process is handled separately from the jobs of students in other faculties, are ranking their preferred winter term jobs today. . . . Health services will hold a nutrition drop-in tomorrow in the Student Life Centre, 11:30 to 1:30, with "information on healthy eating, weight management and clinical nutrition issues". . . . Those who need to get organized can also get a bargain this week at TechWorx in South Campus Hall, with 25 per cent off the price of academic agendas. . . .
CAR