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Friday, October 19, 2012

 

 

  • 1,939 degrees of convocation
  • Stanford University president delivers lecture
  • Open Access Week is coming soon
  • Obesity workshop, Grimm lecture, other notes

 

  • Editor:
  • Brandon Sweet
  • Communications and Public Affairs
  • bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

 

The University of Waterloo's mace as it resides during convocation ceremonies.
1,939 degrees of convocation

The University of Waterloo's one hundred and fifth Convocation is taking place over the next two days, with 1,939 undergraduate and graduate degrees to be conferred. This is the first time that a fall convocation has been spread over two days and four ceremonies.

The event will be webcast live and you can follow along on Twitter using the #uwgrad2012 hashtag, which can also be used to send messages to convocation's Twitter wall.

This morning, starting at 10:00 a.m. in the main gym of the Physical Activities Complex, graduating students from Applied Health Sciences and Science—442 in all—will receive their degrees. At this morning's ceremony, retired Recreation and Leisure Studies professor Sue Shaw will be granted the title Distinguished Professor Emerita and Professor John Smol of Queen's University will receive an honorary doctor of science. Biology graduates Shannon Elizabeth van der Velden and Adriano Senatore will be recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies.

This afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m., 525 students in the faculties of Environment and Mathematics will receive their degrees.

Professor John Hennessy, current president of Stanford University, will receive an honorary doctor of mathematics degree. The university will also bestow the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus on William Cunningham and Alan George.

Statistics graduate Bei Chen and Megan Conway of the School of Planning will be recognized for their outstanding achievement in graduate studies, and John Doucette will receive the University of Waterloo's Alumni Gold Medal for Outstanding Academic Performance in a Master's program. John Champaign will receive the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student, and Katie Jean Gammie, a graduate of the geography department's aviation program, will receive the Departmental Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement. Anson Ming Hin Lo will receive the K.D. Fryer Gold Medal for High Academic Standing in Mathematics Together with Good Citizenship.

653 students in the Faculty of Arts will convene at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Professor Claire Kramsch, professor of German and foreign language acquisition at the University of California, Berkeley, will receive an honorary doctor of literature and address convocation.

Kristin Laurin will receive the Alumni Gold Medal for Outstanding Academic Performance in a Doctoral Program. Wayne Fox will receive the Arts Alumni Achievement Award. Olivia Szeto will be awarded the Accounting Alumni Award for Excellence in Accounting for outstanding academic performance in the Master of Accounting Program. Psychology graduate Kaylena Martens will be recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies.

The university will also award the title Honorary Member of the University to Gail Cuthbert Brandt, former principal of Renison University College, the former Associate Vice-President, International at the University of Waterloo, and the former chair of the Advisory Board of the Confucius Institute, and Chris Redmond, longtime editor of the university's Gazette and founding editor of the Daily Bulletin.

The fourth and final convocation ceremony is for the Faculty of Engineering at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday with 319 students receiving degrees. Professor Hira Ahuja of Memorial University will receive an honorary doctor of engineering degree and address convocation.

Joel Stein will be awarded the Sandford Fleming Foundation Medal for Co-operative Work Term Proficiency. Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate Mohammad Rostami and Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering graduate Thomasz Glawdel will be recognized for outstanding achievement in graduate studies.

Convocation is an opportunity for members of the university community and guests to gather and celebrate our graduates as they join an ever-increasing family of alumni, and to reflect on the idea that our institution's success can be measured by degrees.

 

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Stanford University president delivers lecture

Professor John Hennessy, president of Stanford University.Professor John L. Hennessy (right), president of Stanford University, will be delivering a public lecture today entitled "Online Education: The Coming Tsunami?" The lecture will take place at 10:00 a.m. in the Humanities Theatre.

Professor Hennessy is one of the founders of MIPS Computer Systems Inc. and is Stanford University's tenth president. In addition to his role at Stanford, he is a board member of Google, Cisco Systems, Atheros Communication, and the Daniel Pearl Foundation. H

Doors open for ticket-holders, who should be prepared to bring a printed copy of their ticket, at 9:15 a.m. As the event is at capacity and seating is limited, all advanced registrations will be honoured until 9:45 a.m., when open seats will begin to be filled from the wait line. Ticket holders who arrive after 9:45 a.m. will be directed to the back of the wait line.

Professor Hennessy will be available to speak to the media following the event.

 

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Open Access Week is coming soon

by Nancy Collins, University of Waterloo Library.

Open Access Week is a global event to raise awareness about Open Access, the movement toward making scholarly literature available online free of charge. This year Open Access Week runs from October 22-28. To celebrate, the Library is planning a range of activities, including a panel on Open Access journals featuring members of uWaterloo’s and Laurier’s academic community, a Data Management Day, and displays and giveaways in our locations.

The week’s activities are intended to provide students, faculty, and staff with a forum for considering the prospects of Open Access and for discovering the ways that the uWaterloo Library can support their Open Access activities.

To get involved in Open Access Week:

  • Attend the panel discussion on the topic of Open Access journals. Monday, October 22 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in DC 1302. This brown-bag lunch-time panel on Open Access journals features members of uWaterloo's and Laurier's academic community. Panelists will include uWaterloo Chemistry Chair Dr. John Honek, uWaterloo English Professor Dr. Jay Dolmage, uWaterloo graduate student Carlie Leroux, and Wilfrid Laurier University Press Editor, Lisa Quinn. The panel will be facilitated by the Library’s Associate University Librarian for Digital & Discovery Services, Pascal Calarco. Bring your lunch and your questions! Desserts and coffee/tea will be provided.

  • Register for Data Management Day. Thursday, October 25 from 9:00 am-3:00 p.m. Co-hosted by the Library and the Polar Data Catalogue, this is a day to raise awareness and explore the issues surrounding the discovery, access, and preservation of research data. Register on the Data Management Day website.

  • Visit the Library’s Open Access Week information booths. Stop by the Open Access Week information booths in the Library’s locations to learn more about Open Access and read profiles of individuals from the uWaterloo academic community who are involved in Open Access activities. There will be plenty of giveaways such as buttons, stickers, and handouts.

  • Check out the Library’s Open Access Guide. It’s available year-around, but Open Access Week is the perfect time to get more acquainted with the Library’s often-consulted Open Access Guide. It includes an FAQ with background information on Open Access, answering key questions such as “What is the relationship between Open Access and copyright?” and “How scholarly are Open Access journals?” The Open Access Guide also includes profiles of Open Access initiatives at uWaterloo and of uWaterloo scholars who are involved in Open Access activities.

  • Learn about the Five Benefits of Open Access.

The Library encourages everyone to take advantage of the opportunities above during Open Access Week.

For more information, contact Nancy Collins, Communications and Liaison Librarian, Ext. 32446.


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Obesity workshop, Grimm lecture, other notes

A group of 20 international experts on obesity will gather in Kitchener-Waterloo this weekend to share insights into the social and cultural dimensions of obesity in Canada at an international workshop co-organized by professor Wendy Mitchinson, Canada Research Chair in Gender and Medical History at the University of Waterloo.

“As the obesity epidemic and critical responses to it reach the 10-year mark, this planning meeting brings together scholars whose work expands upon and complicates understanding of fatness and the obesity epidemic in the Canadian context,” says Mitchinson.

Attendees will reflect on the ethical and equity issues that arise in the treatment of people deemed obese. The work done at the meeting will result in a number of published articles.

Waterloo Centre for German Studies lecture poster.The 2012 Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Lecture, the annual flagship event of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies, will be given by Ruth Wodak, a critical discourse analyst who "has made extraordinary contributions to the field of applied linguistics in recent years." Wodak is Distinguished Professor of Discourse Studies at Lancaster University in  the UK. The lecture, which takes place on Tuesday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. in room 1106 of Hagey Hall, will deal with language change in Austrian German in the fields of education, media, and business. The lecture and discussion will be followed by a reception.

And the following is a message from the university's United Way campaign: "We’re at the end of the third week of the university’s United Way campaign and would like to thank everyone who has donated to the campaign so far. We’ve held our first two donor draws and would like to congratulate the winners."

The winners of the Early Bird Draw are Sarah Morse from the Graduate Studies Office, who won the day off with pay, and Bill Taylor, a faculty member in Biology, who receives a $40 University Club gift card.

The winners of the Leadership Draw are Jodi Ritter of Renison University College, who gets a day off with pay, and Wing-Ku Liu, Science faculty member, who wins two tickets to the United Way Gala.

"Visit the United Way’s website for information on upcoming draw prizes and check out the United Way events calendar. Join the departments of Spanish and Latin American Studies and French Studies for zumba/tango/swing lessons on Saturday, enjoy a spaghetti lunch at MKV next Tuesday or pick up something sweet at the Office of Research’s bake sale."

 

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Faculty, staff can take TravelWise survey

The University of Waterloo has partnered with the Region of Waterloo to offer a TravelWise program for faculty and staff.

TravelWise is a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program that provides an assortment of transportation tools and services to program members to encourage sustainable transportation to and from work.

Through partnership in TravelWise, University of Waterloo employees will have access to events, information, and exclusive services that can help them commute in sustainable ways.

The first step is a survey of university employees that asks about their work transportation habits. Survey respondents can enter into a draw for prizes that include gift certificates and a BlackBerry PlayBook.

The survey runs until Friday, October 19.

Link of the day

25 Years since Black Monday

When and where

CTE presents Focus on Teaching Week, October 15 to October 19. Registration Details.

Public lecture by Stanford University President John Hennessy, "Online Education: The Coming Tsunami," Friday, October 19, 10:00 a.m., Humanities Theatre.

Fall 2012 Convocation, Applied Health Sciences, Science, including Optometry and Pharmacy, Friday, October 19, 10:00 a.m.

Chemistry Department Seminar Series featuring Prof. Warren Chan, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, "The Complexities of Nanoparticle Tumor Targeting," Friday, October 19, 10:30 a.m., C2-361.

United Way Bake Sale, Friday, October 19, 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., Tatham Centre.


Fall 2012 Convocation, Environment, Mathematics (including St. Jerome's), Friday, October 19, 2:30 p.m.

Mind, Violence and Freedom seminar featuring Hamid Tizhoosh, Systems Design Engineering, "Violence: Why do we find violence beautiful?" Friday, October 19, 5:00 p.m., E5 6004.

Fall 2012 Convocation, Arts (including Independent Studies), St. Jerome's University Arts, Renison University Arts, Social Work (Honours BSW), Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m.

Fall 2012 Convocation, Engineering (including architecture), MBET, Software Engineering, Saturday, October 20, 2:30 p.m.

Public lecture by Claire Kramsch, UC Berkeley, "Symbolic Competence: New Goal for Global Times," Saturday, October 20, 4:00 p.m., EV3 1408. Details.

Open Access Week, October 22 to October 28. Details.

Public lecture for high school students by Dr. Michael Rosbash, recipient of the 2012 Canada Gairdner International Award, “Circadian rhythms: Time travels”, Tuesday, October 23, 10:30 a.m., Davis Centre 1302. Details.

Public lecture by Dr. Michael Rosbash, recipient of the 2012 Canada Gairdner International Award, “Circadian rhythms: Molecules, neurons and circuits”, Tuesday, October 23, 2:00 p.m., Davis Centre 1302. Details.

Bachelor of Social Work Admission Information Session
Tuesday, October 23, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Dunker Family Lounge, Renison. Details.

International Spouses presents Carving Jack-o-Lanterns, Wednesday, October 24. Participants must pre-register by October 23. Details.


Noon Hour Concert, "Canadian Music for Saxophone & Piano," featuring Willem Moolenbeek, sax, Cheryl Duvall, piano, Wednesday, October 24, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College chapel. Free admission, all are welcome.

Data Management Day, Thursday, October 25. Details.

UWSA Annual General Meeting, Thursday, October 25, 9:00 a.m., MC 5158, coffee and treats at 8:45 a.m. Details.

SDS Round Table Series featuring J.C. Blokhuis, Assistant Professor, Social Development Studies, "Public Educational Authority and Children's Rights from a Parens Patriae Perspective"
Friday, October 26 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Dunker Family Lounge, Renison. Details.

Science and Technology in Society Collaboration event featuring Mark B. Brown, California State University, "Who Speaks for the Global Climate? Institutional Pluralism and Democratic Representation," Thursday, October 25, Great Hall, Conrad Grebel University College, 7:00 p.m.

Science and Technology in Society Collaboration event featuring Mark B. Brown, California State University, "What Does It Mean to Politicize Science?" Friday, October 26, 3:30 p.m., Hagey Hall, Room 373.

Third Annual Across the Creek Event, Saturday, October 27, 7:00 p.m. Details.

Board of governors Tuesday, October 30, 2:30 p.m., Needles Hall room 3001.

CTE687 Active Learning in a Really Large Classroom, Session 0002: Wednesday, October 31, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., EV1 324A.

Arriscraft Lecture Series featuring Margie Zeidler, Urban Space, "The Accidental Developer," Thursday, November 1, 6:45 p.m., School of Architecture.

Shanghai Chapter launch and networking reception, Wednesday, November 7. Details.

Public lecture featuring Elizabeth Harvey, University of Toronto, “Shakespeare's Spirit World,” Thursday, November 8, 4:00 p.m., HH 373.

 

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