Quantum-Nano Centre opens today

The science of the incredibly small is about to take a giant leap at the University of Waterloo.

The Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre opens today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by more than 620 guests from the federal and provincial governments, the university and the research community.

Shared by the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN), the 285,000 square-foot facility will give researchers the cutting-edge tools and collaborative opportunities they need to investigate and build technologies unimaginable even a decade ago.

The research conducted at the centre is expected to produce transformative quantum information technologies, such as quantum cryptography, quantum sensors and quantum computers, and nanotechnologies with a broad range of important applications.

Much emphasis is being placed on the building's collaborative potential. Researchers need not only state of the art experimental tools, but also a place where they have the intellectual freedom and collaborative opportunities to explore revolutionary new ideas.

The quantum-nano centre, designed by KPMB Architects, gives the building's occupants the best of both worlds. "The Quantum-Nano Centre (QNC) at the University of Waterloo was conceived to generate synergies between the fields of quantum computing and nanotechnology in order to facilitate groundbreaking research that will lead to innovative solutions and commercialization," reads the building's architectural description. "The QNC is the first research facility of its kind in the world to bring together the two disciplines into one building."

The KPMB project team included Partner-in-charge Marianne McKenna, Principal-in-Charge and Design Architect Mitchell Hall, Glenn Macmullin and Lucy Timbers as project architects, and Job Captain Nic Green. Engineers included Halsall Associates Ltd. (structural), H.H. Angus & Associates Ltd. (mechanical and electrical), and Conestoga Rovers and Associates (civil). Consultants on the project included HDR Architecture Inc. (laboratory), Chung & Vander Doelen Engineering Ltd. (geotechnical engineers), NAK Design Group (landscape architects), Martin Conboy Lighting Design (lighting), Leber/Rubes Inc. (fire and life safety), Aercoustics Engineering Ltd. (acoustical), Colin Gordon & Associates (vibration), RWDI Inc. (microclimate), Vitatech Engineering (EMI/RFI), Engineering Harmonics (audio visual), and Curran McCabe Ravindran Ross Inc. (cost/quantity surveyor). The general contractor was Aecon Buildings.

Concludes the architectural description, "ultimately the design manifests simple founding principle, namely 'to attract the brightest minds in the world, provide them with an inspiring and state-of-the-art environment in which to work and collaborate, and breakthroughs will happen.'"

The ribbon-cutting ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m.

On Saturday, September 29, the centre will host a public open house filled with lectures, special events and tours, and a quantum-themed concert by science popularizer Jay Ingram (longtime host of Discovery Channel's Daily Planet) and his rock band, Jay Ingram & The Qubits.

Photograph by Tom Arban.

Back to top

Honorary degrees for convocation announced

A news release from the media relations office.

The president of Stanford University, whose groundbreaking work has had a considerable impact on modern computer architecture, is among the four recipients of honorary doctorates to be presented at the University of Waterloo's fall convocation ceremonies October 19 and 20.

Professor John L. Hennessy will receive the doctor of mathematics degree at the ceremony for the faculties of Environment and Mathematics on Friday, October 19 at 2:30 p.m. Hennessy will also address convocation at that time, and will deliver a public lecture earlier that day.

He joined Stanford University in 1977 as an associate professor of electrical engineering. Hennessy is considered a pioneer in his field and a leader in the development of Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC), which has had an undeniable effect on the design of computer processors. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards.

Other honorary doctorates, along with awards for retired faculty and staff members, will be given at the following ceremonies:

Applied Health Sciences and Science – Friday, October 19 at 10:00 a.m.

Professor John Smol will receive an honorary doctor of science and address convocation.

Smol is a professor at Queen's University and the Canada Research Chair in environmental change. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. A professor in the Department of Biology, with a cross-appointment to the School of Environmental Studies, Smol is widely considered the world leader in the development of biological indicators for the study of environmental change over the long term. His research has influenced policy in several areas including water pollution and the protection of the Arctic. He has received several teaching awards.

Arts – Saturday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m.

Professor Claire Kramsch will receive an honorary doctor of literature and address convocation.

Kramsch is a professor of German and foreign language acquisition at the University of California, Berkeley. She is an expert scholar in the relationship between culture and language acquisition. Kramsch was the founding director of the Berkeley Language Center, where she oversaw one of the most important language research units in the Americas. She has written numerous books and received several awards, including the Goethe medal, the ACTFL Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Culture, and the MLA Kenneth W. Mildenberger Prize for outstanding research in the study of foreign languages and literatures.

Engineering – Saturday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m.

Professor Hira Ahuja will receive an honorary doctor of engineering degree and address convocation.

Ahuja has devoted his life to continuing education for engineers and underserviced immigrant populations. He became a full professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1975. In partnership with the University of Toronto, he founded the Educational Program Innovations Centre (EPIC) in 1992. It includes a program to help immigrant engineers prepare for technical licensure exams. Ahuja is a generous donor to graduate and undergraduate scholarships in engineering faculties at four Canadian universities, including Waterloo.

During convocation ceremonies, Waterloo will present distinguished professor emeritus titles to retired professors Susan Shaw, Alan George and William Cunningham.

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 who retired as director of internal communications in February of this year.

Back to top

Photo contest will capture a day in campus life

A message from the Student Success Office.

From 12:01 am to 11:59 p.m. on September 26, the Student Success Office wants you to take photos throughout your day, doing what you do at Waterloo. We want to see everything from what you eat for breakfast, your trek to campus, classes you go to, meetings you attend or the lineup up for Bomber Wednesday. We’ll include all of the photos you take in a timeline using Flickr to share a day in the life at Waterloo campuses (from Dubai to Stratford and everything in between). We want to see photos from students, faculty and staff and sending in a picture could earn you a chance to win a $500 Retail Services gift card (sorry-just for students!)

You can submit your photos on the 26 through any of these channels:

• Twitter #uwaterloolife @uwaterloolife
• Facebook \uwaterloolife
• Instagram #uwaterloolife
• Email success@uwaterloo.ca

So before the day gets here, help us spread the word and think about the must-have photos you think you should be included in the timeline. This is a chance for you to connect with other students, staff and faculty and showcase a meeting or event you’re holding that day.

UWaterloo Life on Twitter and Facebook is a place for students to ask questions and get information about what’s happening on campus. The posts are curated by the Student Success Office but the aim is to collaborate with campus partners to help provide students with relevant and timely information.

If you have any questions please email Kirsty Budd, Community Manager.

Back to top