Okay, okay, one final goose-related image to round out the week. This graphic, which is the current cover photo of the university's official facebook page, spells out the best way to avoid getting on a bird's bad side.

 

Back to top

Student team takes off in Airbus competition

A team of Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology and Master in Nanotechnology graduate students are on final approach for the third and last round of the Airbus Fly Your Ideas competition.

Team Aerodynamix, which consists of students Sen Sachi, Steven Wang, Ramzi Samara, Gokul Krishnan, and Sibi Sutty, made the cut from 600 entrants in the first round to 102 teams in Round Two of the competition, and are submitting their proposal this week for the third and final round of the contest, which is sponsored by global aerospace manufacturer Airbus.

The competition challenges competitors to develop ideas for a more environmentally sustainable aviation industry. Team Aerodynamix's project involves Cloud Fuel Technology - a technology that harvests water from atmospheric moisture to provide a replenishable hydrogen source for fuel cell systems on aircraft.

Aerodynamix is one of three Canadian teams in the competition.

In the run-up to the final round of the competition, Airbus is awarding the team with the best "social teamline," that is, their homepage with photos, videos, and status updates, (as measured by highest number of visits), so why not give their page a view and help them out?

Round Three of the competition starts on May 6, with the final event taking place the week of June 10.

 

Back to top

Members sought for equity committee

The Faculty Association's Status of Women & Equity Committee (SWEC) is looking for new members.

SWEC "is concerned with matters related to the status of women as well as broader equity issues such as those arising from gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, or gender identity." The committee engaged in both educational and advocacy activities to promote equity on campus and makes recommendations to the faculty association's board of directors about what policy changes to pursue to promote equity.

Specifically, the committee pursues its mandate as follows:

• Maintaining a watching brief for FAUW on issues related to equity & advises the FAUW board on policy positions related to equity.
• Promoting equity through activities such as speaker series, social events, and networking.
• Monitoring the University’s progress toward equitable hiring and its treatment of faculty.
• Providing active assistance to the FAUW Board and committees at their request when specific cases or situations involve issues of equity and/or gender.
• Serving as a liaison with other relevant committees at the University of Waterloo and the OCUFA and CAUT Status of Women and Equity Committees.

"While our focus has historically been primarily on the status of women, SWEC has in recent years been more vigorous in pursuing other equity, and we want your help to do so!" reads the committee's call for members.

Serving on the committee involves attending monthly meetings from September through June, contributing to one or more subcommittees, and providing feedback on issues and initiatives as they arise in meetings and via email. Members of SWEC are appointed by the FAUW board for a renewable one or two-year term, usually on the advice of the committee's current members.

Anyone interested in joining the committee is encouraged to send a brief paragraph outlining your previous equity work, if any (though previous experience is not required) and your particular equity interests to swec@uwaterloo.ca. The deadline for applications is May 1.

 

Back to top

Work opportunities for international students

The Student Awards and Financial Aid Office is once again offering the University of Waterloo International Undergraduate Work-Study Program for the Spring 2013 term, and has circulated a notice to department heads advertising the program.

"International students are not eligible for provincial government financial aid (OSAP) and may find themselves in need of supplemental funds to assist in the cost of their education," writes Linda Jajko, financial aid assistant for bursaries and international programs. "At present, obtaining other financing or part-time employment that fits the student's academic schedule is very difficult. The program is intended to assist in creating part-time meaningful employment opportunities for international students who require additional funding, are willing to work, and can demonstrate financial need."

The cost of the plan is shared on a 75/25 arrangement between a central university fund and the department looking to hire a student. This means a department can hire a student for one quarter of the usual work-study cost.

According to the memo, in order to be considered for approval, UW International Undergraduate Work-Study jobs must:

• be created specifically for this program
• not displace regular employees in any way
• be flexible in terms of hours worked
• have at least one (preferably two) contacts that are UW Faculty or Staff members.

Students are required to apply for eligibility into the program through the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office prior to applying for jobs. The office will then determine whether or not a student is eligible to participate in the plan, and approved students will then be referred to the department looking to hire a student for a job interview.

"Jobs that tend to receive the most interest are those that create meaningful work experience for the students," says the memo.

A three-tiered salary system is in place for work-study positions, based on job tasks, responsibilities, and the skills required to complete the job, but there is a maximum of $1,500 per student per academic term, with any amounts paid over this maximum being charged back to the department's account.

Employers are expected to select the most suitable student from among the pool of eligible students, provide appropriate training and supervision, maintain and verify the number of hours worked by keeping appropriate records, and submitting the casual payroll requests every two weeks to ensure timely funding.

The Spring 2013 term begins May 6, and employment cannot extend past August 17.

Up to 25 positions may be funded this spring, and completed job description forms (PDF) will be reviewed and approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. Completed forms must be returned to the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office by May 17.

If you have any questions, call Linda Jajko at extension 35726 or by email.

 

Back to top