Tim Jackson named VP University Relations

"I am pleased to announce that Tim Jackson has been appointed as the university’s new Vice-President, University Relations," wrote president Feridun Hamdullahpur in a message to campus released today.

The position of Vice-President, University Relations is one of two successors to the office of Vice-President, External Relations, with the other being Vice-President, Advancement. Jackson's term of office begins May 1, 2012, and he will be also responsible for the portfolio of Vice-President, Advancement until July 1, 2012.

Jackson’s appointment was unanimously recommended by the Vice-President, University Relations Nominating Committee following an extensive national search.

"Jackson took on the role of Vice-President, External Relations on an interim basis in June 2011, seconded from his duties as associate vice-president, commercialization at uWaterloo and CEO of the Waterloo Accelerator Centre. He is an established and respected member of the University of Waterloo community having served as a member of Senate, the Board of Governors, and various board committees including Pension & Benefits, Finance & Investment and Audit, and as an active fundraiser on behalf of the university."

Jackson is a University of Waterloo graduating, holding a BA in accounting, and is also a chartered accountant. A School of Accountancy fellowship was named after him in 2005, and He received the university’s 50th Anniversary Alumni Award in 2007.

"Jackson comes to the role of Vice-President, University Relations with a long history as an entrepreneur and business leader," the president wrote. "In addition to his role as CEO of the Waterloo Accelerator Centre he is a founder and partner of Tech Capital Partners, an early stage technology focused venture capital firm. He has acted as CFO, CEO, or board member for numerous technology companies. Jackson is a frequent speaker on innovation, corporate culture, leadership, community building, acquisitions and investing, and related topics."

"A leader within the Waterloo Region volunteer community, Jackson currently serves as chair of the board of Centre in the Square and chair of the Waterloo Barnraiser Council among a long list of other volunteer activities. He formerly served as president of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, chair of the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum board, and chair of the Waterloo Public Library board. Given his commitment to volunteerism and his community, in 2009 Tim was awarded the inaugural annual Barnraiser Award for “inspirational, collaborative achievement” in Waterloo Region. In 2007, he was honoured with the Legacy of Leaders Award from the City of Waterloo and the Leadership Award from the Volunteer Action Center. In 2012 the KW Chamber of Commerce named Jackson the Michael R. Follett Community Leader Award recipient."

"Professionally, Jackson was named a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 2009, the highest designation the institute confers, awarded for outstanding career achievements as well as outstanding service to the community and the profession. He also received an Award of Distinction from the institute in 2006."

"The new role of vice-president, university relations results from the division of the former vice-president, external relations into two roles – vice-president, advancement and vice-president, university relations. As vice-president, university relations, Jackson will be a member of the university’s senior leadership team, responsible for advancing the university’s goals by ensuring strong external relationships -- locally, nationally and internationally -- and fostering a strong and growing public profile."

"As interim vice-president, external relations, Jackson has actively pursued initiatives to lay the foundation for the new vice-presidential roles, and has worked to build strong relationships with alumni, donors, our Waterloo Region community, provincial and federal ministers, and our national and international academic partners. Students, faculty and staff will benefit from the experience, energy and commitment that Jackson brings to the Waterloo enterprise."

Photograph by Stan Switalski, Stan Switalski Photography.

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Remembering John Cunningham

John Cunningham (left), Manager of the WatCard Office, passed away Friday, reports associate provost (students) Bud Walker. "John joined the University of Waterloo in 1992 and pioneered the first iteration of the WatCard in 1993. Under John’s direction, the WatCard quickly grew to one of the premier campus card programs in North America touching countless aspects of campus life for students, staff, and faculty alike. John was well known and respected in the card industry and was frequently called upon for advice by stakeholders across Canada and the United States. John was a familiar face to many around campus. His colleagues will remember him as a great boss and mentor, always bringing humour and generosity to his work."

John is survived by his wife, Gail Hansen Cunningham, Director of Organizational Services for the Department of Housing and Residences at uW.

Visitations will be held at the Erb and Good Funeral Home today from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., and tomorrow, April 24, at 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 25, at 3:00 p.m.

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Canada 3.0 in its fourth year

Canada 3.0, billed as "the nation's premier digital media forum," will be hosting close to 2,000 leaders in Stratford, Ontario from April 24 to 25. Now in its fourth year, the event was founded in 2009 to bring together industry, government, and academia "as a catalyst to create companies, jobs, and wealth for the nation." Central to the forum is the idea of "Canada's moonshot": that anyone can do anything online in Canada by 2017.

Keynote speakers include Kevin Tuer, managing director of the Canadian Digital Media Network, David Fransen, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles, Lisa von Sturmer, founder and CEO of Growing City, Dr. Ian Wilson, executive director of the Stratford Institute for Digital Media, Tom Jenkins, executive chairman and Chief Strategy Officer for Open Text, Devon Brooks, co-founder of Blo Blow Dry Bar, and Mark Barrenechea, president and CEO of Open Text, but that just scratches the surface of the many conference streams (Connectivity, Productivity, Content, and Capital).

The event takes place at the Stratford Rotary Complex.

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Grad students display research at conference

a media release from the Graduate Studies Office

University of Waterloo graduate students will present their diverse scholarly findings to the public this week at one of the largest student research conference of its kind in Canada.
From April 23 to April 26, over 200 master's and doctoral students will share their research through oral and poster presentations at the 12th annual Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) .

“The conference is important because it showcases the diversity of the work that the new generation of researchers are pursuing,” said Sue Horton, Associate Provost, Graduate Studies. “The public are welcome to come and hear talks from young scholars at the frontiers of their disciplines, whose work will potentially change society and technology in the future.”

Presentation topics range from humour in advertising to a wearable artificial kidney; from rainbow trout cloning to gender biases in statistical reasoning. There is a topic of interest for every audience member!

Oral and poster presentations are taking place throughout the main University of Waterloo campus starting Monday April 23 and ending Thursday April 26. The event is open to the public. Program schedules and research paper abstracts are available online.

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Monday's notes

Health Services will be closed today for a Staff Development Day.

All members of the university community are invited to the Spring 2012 Town Hall Meeting that will be held Wednesday, May 9, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre. The event will feature remarks from Feridun Hamdullahpur and Vice-President, Academic and Provost Sallie Ann Keller, and a question & answer period. Questions can be emailed to townhall@ uwaterloo.ca for consideration. The event will be webcast and the conversation can be followed on Twitter by using the #uwth hashtag, with updates coming live from the event from the @uWaterlooLIVE account.

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