On the subject of subject rankings

a news release from the media relations department

The University of Waterloo ranks as the top university in Canada for Statistics and Operational Research and amongst the top 30 institutions in the world for Computer Science and Information Systems, and Mathematics, according to results published today.

The rankings, published today by UK firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), put Waterloo 32nd in the world for its statistics work – the highest amongst Canadian universities. Waterloo is ranked 27th globally for Computer Science and 29th for Mathematics.

“I am extremely proud that Waterloo leads Canadian institutions in statistics and operational research in these rankings. The impact of research and discoveries in computer science and mathematics are well recognized and respected globally. These results affirm our commitment of delivering outstanding scholarship of consequence,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur. “We are determined to our goal of achieving a level of academic and research excellence that is consistent with being one of the world's leading universities. We will build on these positive results to achieve that goal."

QS ranks close to 700 universities worldwide in 30 disciplines. Waterloo is listed amongst the top 200 universities globally for 18 of the 30 subjects evaluated – with improved rankings in eight subject areas.

“When people think about this university, I’m proud that one of the first things that springs to mind is our Faculty of Mathematics,” said Ian Goulden, dean of mathematics. “We work hard to attract the best and the brightest faculty and students, and together they have made Waterloo a world leader in computer science, mathematics and statistics.”

Waterloo also ranked in the top 100 globally for Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geography and Environmental Sciences, and in the top 200 for Philosophy, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics & Astronomy, Accounting & Finance, Politics and Sociology.

Waterloo’s Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science is home to two Canada Research Chairs and more than 40 research active full-time faculty working in diverse subject areas. Part of the Faculty of Mathematics, the department teaches more than 900 undergraduate students and around 150 graduate students in programs including Actuarial Science, Biostatistics, Quantitative Finance, Statistics, and Statistics-Computing.

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Informational videos for co-op on the way

by Shannon Tigert, Co-operative Education and Career Action

PD1: Co-op Fundamentals is a co-op prep course that is taken by students in the Faculties of Applied Health Sciences, Arts, Environment, Math, and Science. This year, as part of the regular course renewal process, PD1 was redeveloped. The redevelopment was a joint effort between CECA, WatPD, and the Centre for Extended Learning.   One of the more complicated aspects of this revamp is the new informational video on interview processes that was filmed in the Tatham Centre in March. 

It was clear to many in CECA that students new to the co-op process had concerns and worries about participating in their first round of interviews.  Those concerns are now addressed in a five part video, detailing what to do before interviews, and providing thorough information about individual, group, phone and Skype interviews. 

One of the areas of focus for the redeveloped course was student preparation for interview day. The interview day videos were developed by the WatPD Teaching  and Program Assistants with guidance from CECA staff.   After 20+ hours of research and scripting, the team was ready to film.  With the Tatham Centre as the perfect backdrop and willing co-op students participating as actors, a full day of filming commenced.  Tivoli, the film company chosen, is run by a University of Waterloo alumnus. 

The video, which will debut in PD 1 during the Spring 2013 term will undoubtedly be a very valuable resource to new co-op students who are looking for answers about their first interview experience.   The video outlining what happens at a group interview will be up on the uWaterloo YouTube channel shortly (on the WatPD playlist).

This week’s question: What term was PD1: Co-op Fundamentals first offered to Waterloo students? (Hint: check out this website!)

• Fall 2001
• Spring 2004
• Fall 2006
• Fall 2008

Take a guess and enter to win a water bottle!

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First of two Town Halls today and other notes

Members of the campus community have their first of two opportunities this week to engage directly with the President and Vice-President, Academic & Provost at a special Town Hall meeting today from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre. The events are intended to be a forum for asking questions about the university's strategic plan, and there are many ways to do so: You can attend the meeting in person and ask your question, or send your question in via email to the townhall@uwaterloo.ca address, which will be checked both before and during the event, and you can ask your questions via Twitter messages sent to @uWaterlooLIVE or by using the hashtag #uwth.

In addition, the final draft of the strategic plan (PDF), which will be the document under discussion at the meeting, has been posted to the strategic plan website.

A second Town Hall is scheduled for tomorrow from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., also in the Humanities Theatre. Both events will be livestreamed.

On Friday, May 10, the Conrad Centre will be hosting the E-Launch Awards, which caps a week's worth of events and training for the centre's Enterprise Co-op students. At the awards, the students will pitch their businesses at a panel of judges, who will award a $4,000 prize to the top five student businesses. The awards will be held at the Conrad Centre from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Chandrika Anjaria, whose face is familiar to anyone who darkens the door of the Computing Help & Information Place (CHIP), is retiring after more than 39 years with the university, and her colleagues in IST will be hosting a retirement party in her honour on Thursday, June 6 in South Campus Hall's Laurel Room from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Liz Doede via email. Anjaria, who recently received a Diamond Jubilee medal, started working at the university in April 1974.

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