![[University of Waterloo]](/images/logobars/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Thursday, December 1, 2005
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
EngSoc president Karim Lallani and vice-president (education) Ken
Hanes do the Kojak thing in a good cause.
![[Back to back, arms folded]](/images/2005/1201bald.jpg)
![[As the shears descend]](/images/2005/1201gooding.jpg)
Today's grand finale is so big -- and the hair will be flying so
lavishly -- that it's been moved from the Carl Pollock Hall
foyer to the great hall of the Student Life Centre. Things will
start at 12:00.
In the SLC, says Lallani, several leaders of the Federation of Students will do what more than 125 engineering students have done already: let their heads be shaved to encourage donations to the cause. Expected are Feds president John Andersen, vice-president (education) Howie Bender, vice-president (finance) Carmen Lam (whose locks currently cascade down her shoulders), arts student councillor Kate Daly, science councillor Robert Allie, and Mathematics Society president Michael Tersigni. "John and Howie will also be shaving their legs," Lallani adds.
He said EngSoc will present a cheque to the Canadian Cancer Society as part of today's ceremonies. A donations table will be open during the grand finale in case anyone would like to make some last minute contributions.
Lallani says faculty member Rob Gorbet of electrical and computer engineering was a star of the campaign, having raised more than $5,000 from students and friends eager to see him lose his hair and beard. Among other good sports was Sue Gooding, operations manager in the dean of engineering office, whose head was shaved in the CPH foyer on Tuesday (pictured).
The campaign is in part a memorial to systems design engineering student Vince Fazari, who died of cancer last year, and a recognition of computer engineering student Rob Staruch, currently being treated for cancer.
The province has announced $6.4 million from the new Early Researcher Award program so far, and is promising $30 million over three years to help new professors to recruit graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates. The idea is to improve Ontario's ability to attract and retain top research talent in high-priority economic areas. Recipients receive $100,000 each from the Ontario government and $50,000 from their institutions or industry.
"We need to attract and retain the best and brightest people to ensure that Ontario can compete in the marketplace of ideas," said premier Dalton McGuinty, who is also minister of research and innovation. Launched in June 2005, his MRI has a mandate to strengthen the province as an innovation-based economy and society, and a $1.8 billion budget over four years.
At UW, faculty members receiving ERAs in the first round are as follows:
• Michael Collins, mechanical engineering, for "Development of Solar/Optical Tools for use in Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency Applications." His research will develop tools that improve overall solar energy system performance, which will play a major role in advancing solar-powered energy technologies. The research is poised to place Ontario at the forefront of solar material characterization and solar-thermal development. The ERA will enable Collins to support two master's students and one PhD student over the next five years. They will receive training in optical material characterization techniques -- skills particularly useful in light of recent concerns over Ontario's power supply. The skills will be in demand by government and private testing labs, as well as solar energy and energy efficiency companies.
• Bernard Duncker, biology, for "Use of DNA Replication Proteins as Biomarkers for Early Cancer Detection." Duncker's research seeks to identify proteins that can be used as biomarkers for early cancer detection and characterize their potential as drug targets for anti-cancer therapies. The work will result in a better prognosis for cancer patients The ERA will permit Duncker to hire one graduate student and one postdoctoral fellow who will receive training in biomedical research techniques through the development of a new generation of diagnostic tools and therapeutics for cancer.
• Xianshe Feng, chemical engineering, for "Development of Nano-Structured Composite Membranes for Olefin/Paraffin Separation." Feng's research is aimed at separating olefins (for example, ethylene and propylene) from paraffins (for example, ethane and propane), one of the most difficult separations in the petrochemical industry. Current processes are costly, energy intensive and detrimental to the environment. The ERA will result in the training of high-calibre researchers in the multi-disciplinary research.
• Pin-Han Ho, electrical and computer engineering, for "Performance Evaluation for Hybrid Optical Switches and Hybrid Optical Networks." Ho's research will develop technology to increase the capacity and speed of transmitting information over modern communications networks such as the Internet. The ERA will let him hire one postdoctoral fellow and one graduate student who will receive training in optical communications and Internet technology.
• Kirsten Müller, biology, for "The Evolution of the Red Algae (Rhodophyta)." Müller's research will investigate the evolution of red algae which dates as far back as 1.2 billion years, in order to provide insight into the evolution of life on earth. The ERA will enable Müller to hire two PHD students and one master's student who will gain experience in taxonomy, microscopy, algal identification, field sampling methods, statistical and phylogenetic analyses, sequence analysis and numerous molecular techniques. The multi-disciplinary aspect of the research will give the students breadth and skills that will equip them to work any field of biology.
Faculty senators to be electedNominations are requested for two faculty seats on the UW senate, the university secretariat says:§ One faculty member of the University to be elected by and from the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, term to April 30, 2006. § One faculty member of Conrad Grebel University College to be elected by and from the members of faculty of Conrad Grebel, term to April 30, 2007. Nomination forms are available from the secretariat (ext. 6125) and online. At least five nominators are required in each case. Nominations should be submitted to the secretariat not later than 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 7. Elections will follow if necessary. |
• Khaled Soudki, civil engineering, for "Rehabilitation of Structures with Prestressed Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement." Soudki's research will investigate using non-corroding fibre reinforced polymers in place of the steel reinforcement currently used in concrete structures and which rapidly deteriorate owing to corrosion. The ERA will allow him to attract a top research associate to assist in work to advance the rehabilitation of structures using prestressed CFRP reinforcement.
• David Toman, computer science, for "Support for XML & XQUERY in Relational Databases." Toman's research involves new techniques in accessing information stored on database systems across the Internet. The ERA will enable him to support two PhD students who will contribute to advancing database technology in the area of XML data.
• Norman Zhou, mechanical engineering, for "Laser Welding of Advanced High Strength Steels for Automotive Applications." His research on laser welding of advanced steels seeks to develop lighter automobile bodies with superior performance and durability. The outcome will enhance Ontario's competitiveness in the automotive manufacturing industry. The ERA will permit Zhou to hire two graduate students who will receive training in the automotive industry. The award will expand research and development in welding and joining of advanced materials.
| WHEN AND WHERE |
|
Canadian Institutes of Health Research president Alan Bernstein
speaks and meets with health researchers, 10:30, Tatham Centre
room 2218.
Teaching seminar: Trien Nguyen, department of economics, "The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in a Classroom Economy", 3:00, Needles Hall room 3001. 'Israel and the Arabs' debate sponsored by Waterloo Israeli Public Affairs Club and Debate Society, 5 p.m., Rod Coutts Hall room 302. Orchestra@UWaterloo winter concert, 8:00, Humanities Theatre, Beethoven (Lenore Overture No. 3, and Triple Concerto) and Tchaikowsky (Symphony No. 5), free tickets available from Humanities box office. Information systems and technology professional development seminar: Mark Haslett, university librarian, "Library System Directions," Friday 8:45, IST seminar room. National cheerleading championships Friday from 3:30 p.m., Physical Activities Complex. Armenian Students Association presents conference on "Human Rights and Genocide", Saturday from 10:30, Rod Coutts Hall room 307, details online. Campus-wide celebration of Maclean's ranking and UW accomplishments in 2005, Monday 1:00, Student Life Centre great hall. Teaching workshop: "Understanding the Learner", December 6 at 1:00 or December 15 at 9:30, details and registration online. Faculty association fall general meeting Tuesday, December 6, 3:00, Davis Centre room 1302; reception for new faculty, 4:30 to 6:00, Davis lounge. Teaching workshop: "So You Want to Be a Faculty Member", December 7 at 10 a.m., details and registration online. 'Chronicles of Narnia' private showing organized by Graduate Student Association, December 10, 9:00 a.m , Galaxy Cinema, tickets $8 (children $6) at Graduate House. |
![[Red ribbon]](/images/2005/1201redribbon.jpg)
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, something called Megaconference VII is taking place in cyberspace today, with the theme "Increasing Empathy through Video Conferencing". Among the participants, from some 41 countries, are a group of drama students at UW, with instructor Gerd Hauck. They're teaming up with students at Bradley University in Illinois to perform a scene (from Strindberg's "A Dream Play") -- partly in the Theatre of the Arts, partly at Bradley's campus in Peoria, and mostly over the Internet for all to see. (UW and Bradley drama students did a similar collaboration earlier this year.) Meanwhile, the entire day-long conference is online, and UW's Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology will host a webcast starting at 9 a.m. in Dana Porter Library room 328. "Feel free to drop in throughout the day, as topics interest you," writes Peter Goldsworthy of LT3. "This conference will be of special interest to anyone who contemplates teaching with videoconferencing." More information: ext. 6749.
Students in the environment and resource studies course 'Greening the Campus' will present their term projects today in the Environmental Studies I courtyard. "Students have been measuring, surveying and interviewing their way towards contributions to WatGreen's vision of a sustainable community," says instructor Paul Kay. "Projects this year considered food chains, food services, and waste management; composting; wind energy; water cycle at Columbia Ice Field; maintenance of gardens and informal pathways; environmental education in elementary schools; conceptual basis for and revitalization of campus greening activities; management of e-wastes; reduction of paper use; alternatives to road salt." He says the "optimal time" to meet the students, as well as see their poster presentations, is between 10:00 and 11:30 this morning.
A dinner in Toronto tonight will launch a million-dollar fund-raising campaign for St. Paul's College, the smallest of UW's affiliated colleges, which has big plans for "student facilities renewal", including food services, recreational space, and meeting rooms. Tonight's launch at the Pangaea Restaurant is hosted by a pair of St. Paul's alumni from 1976 -- campaign chair Bill Watson and colleague Bill Pristanski -- and will be attended not just by college president Graham Brown but also by UW president David Johnston and other people from campus. Guests have been promised "good food, good friends and good news".
A note arrives from Lori Kraemer in the faculty of applied health sciences: "UW Fitness, located in the new Manulife Wellness Center and Lyle Hallman Institute for Health Promotion, offers small group personal training sessions for UW faculty and staff. These exercise sessions include both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training under the guidance of a certified personal trainer in a private and encouraging environment. To sign up for sessions starting in January or for more information, check out our website."
The faculty of science will hold its annual awards banquet tonight, and I'll hope to have some names of award winners to announce soon. . . . Guilherme Chaves, a kitchen porter in the food services department since 1975, is officially retiring as of today, December 1. . . . UW is represented at an "international college fair" being held today and tomorrow in Hamilton, Bermuda. . . .
CAR