New campus program achieves escape VeloCity

by Kim Ho, marketing and communications manager, VeloCity

VeloCity Campus is excited to be launching today on main campus! As part of the University of Waterloo’s commitment to entrepreneurship, we will be providing all students with access to workshops and resources associated with launching a business idea. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall of the Student Life Centre.

Come out to hear notable panelists share their insight about pursuing a business concept. Panelist discussion will include fresh ideas from current and successful alumni & student entrepreneurs as well as investors. These insights will provide a diverse background for all elements of running a business.

Students do not need to have a business idea to attend, rather VeloCity encourages those with an interest in entrepreneurship to attend, ask questions, and gain valuable feedback for future opportunities. Following the launch, VeloCity Campus will be hosting weekly seminars and workshops that address topics associated with entrepreneurship such as marketing and customer acquisition, lean business canvas approaches, design thinking, as well as all challenges related to running a business.

Our current programs, VeloCity Residence & VeloCity Garage have demonstrated high demand for entrepreneurship. We currently provide 70 resident students and just under 25 start up teams with resources and tools that connect to a vast network of entrepreneurs each semester. Stay tuned on @uwvelocity for more details or check out VeloCity's homepage. See you at our launch, lunch will be provided with great networking opportunities!

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Statement on academic integrity

By now you’ve probably heard about or read media reports about an incident of alleged plagiarism at the University of Waterloo. The university has released a statement on the matter that reads in part as follows:

"Academic integrity and honesty are defining values—an integral part of who we are and how we define ourselves at the University of Waterloo."

"Allegations of plagiarism, such as the one widely reported in national media this week, are deeply troubling," the statement continues. "The University of Waterloo has established policies in place to assess and investigate such allegations against both students and faculty, and a range of well-defined consequences for those who fail to uphold our high standards for academic honesty, integrity and proper conduct."

“We are dealing with this matter properly, with integrity, as openly as possible, and in a timely fashion. We will continue to investigate, we will find answers, and we will continue to communicate with our university community, alumni and other stakeholders on this very serious matter.”

The full statement can be read on the Waterloo News page.

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Volunteers sought for Day of Caring

by Jacqueline Martinz, Federation of Students

The Waterloo United Way Campaign starts on October 1, but it’s never too early to contribute. Just as valuable as a monetary donation, is a donation of your time. The United Way’s Day of Caring is happening on September 19, and September 14 is the last day to register as a volunteer.

Held annually since 2010, the Day of Caring matches volunteers from local organizations with different non-profit groups. Past partnerships include the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. This year, the University of Waterloo has been matched with the Yog Fellowship Temple. Located in Kitchener, the non-sectarian Temple promotes health, peace, and non-violence through the scientific teachings of Kriyayoga Meditation.

“Volunteers will be sanding and painting the doors of the Temple from 9 a.m. to noon. They may also be asked to do a bit of light gardening,” said Melissa McNown Smith – Volunteer Management for uWaterloo’s campaign (Manager, Living Learning, Housing). “It’s a great opportunity to help better the community and meet others from all over campus.”

To register, please send an email to Melissa McNown Smith.

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Friday's notes

Feds Welcome Week 2012 starts its final day on an alliterative note, beginning with a free Bombshelter Breakfast Break for the first 150 students who darken the door at the Bombshelter Pub in the Student Life Centre between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Also tied into the welcome week festivities is the VeloCity Campus event (mentioned above) "Entrepreneurship at uWaterloo" that begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall.

And the big finish is of course the "epic outdoor concert" on the BMH Green featuring Faber Drive, with doors (or gates?) opening at 8:00 p.m. and the show getting underway at 9:00 p.m.

National Biotechnology Week begins today, perhaps an odd choice of date to start a week's worth of events highlighting biotechnology in Canada, but who am I to judge? This year marks the 9th annual edition of National Biotechnology Week, and the calendar is packed with events from coast to coast over the next seven days. Why spend a week highlighting biotechnology? For one thing, Canada has nearly 600 biotech firms that invest more than $1.7 billion in research and development every year. Canada's bio-economy is estimated to be worth more than $87 billion and involves a wide variety of sectors including pharmaceutical manufacturing, health, and medicine, agriculture and food bioprocessing, and organic chemical manufacturing. Stay tuned for more details next week.

Speaking of all things biotechnical, local high school student Janelle Tam was recently featured in a video that appeared on the Premier of Ontario's blog earlier this month after winning a Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge award for developing an anti-aging compound out of tree pulp and buckyballs. Each of the students participating in the Challenge was paired with a university mentor and spent months conducting research. In Tam's case, her mentor was University of Waterloo researcher Zhaoling Yao. Tam is the daughter of University of Waterloo professor Michael Tam, and the video was shot in his laboratory.

As it turns out, there's another building with a University of Waterloo connection featured in this year's Doors Open Waterloo Region event that kicks off tomorrow at various locations around the region - the CIGI Campus, home to the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

"Weather permitting, the Casa Mia deli is serving lunch in the Quad," writes Ken McLaughlin. "For the Doors Open event there will be three selected themes: history, architecture, and research, the latter includes the work of UW scholars involved in public outreach to the local and international community."Photograph by Kristopher Young, CIGI.

The latest edition of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Distinguished Lecture will get underway today at 3:00 p.m. and will feature John W. Bandler, Professor Emeritus at McMaster University, who will deliver a lecture entitled "Routes to Success in Academic Research: A Personal Perspective." The event begins with a reception at followed by the lecture in EIT 1015. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Registration is available online.

And finally, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, begins the evening of Sunday September 16, and the Rohr Chabad Centre for Jewish Life has a schedule of services online.

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