The bird is the word, and that word is: goslings. Matt Bondy of Communications & Public Affairs snapped this pic of a gaggle of grazing geese by the creek across from the Quantum-Nano Centre yesterday. Enjoy them while they're cute!

Back to top

Students win E-Launch awards to fund ventures

On Friday May 10, the Conrad Centre concluded its Enterprise Co-op training week with the E-Launch awards, with five $,4000 scholarships up for grabs.

Sixteen Enterprise Co-op students, who had been refining their business plans and pitches all week through a series of workshops and seminars, pitched their new venture ideas to a panel of judges that included sales and marketing expert Steve Lightstone, Vice President of Engineering and Innovation at Septimatech Group Inc. Glen Bell, and Master of Business Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) candidate Octavio Diaz Barriga.

The top five business ideas were each awarded a $4,000 scholarship towards the launch of their new venture.

The recipients of the E-Launch Scholarships were:

• Lindsay Kroes, Recollections Publications
• Daniel Yaroslavski, Light-Bot
• Sean Wilkinson, AirShare
• Benjamin Kiefer, OpenSpace
• Kevin He, Tessoll

Read the full descriptions of each winner's business venture on the Conrad Centre's website.

Back to top

Camps and programs as summer beckons

It wouldn't be summer at the university without the many children's camps and programs that will get underway following the Canada Day long weekend, so brace yourselves for an influx of brightly-coloured t-shirt wearing youngsters.

The Engineering Science Quest camp operates in one-week sessions, with various programming aimed at children entering grades 1 through 9. The former “ExXtreme” technology camps, renamed in 2011, are now known as Tesla (for electricity pioneer Nicola Tesla) and Payette (for Canadian astronaut Julie Payette). The technology camps are run out of campus computer labs.

This year, ESQ is launching a grade 3/4 science and technology program as an introduction to technology for younger campers while continuing to include science and engineering activities.

ESQ offers programs on the main Waterloo campus as well as several other locations, including Brantford, Chatham, Orangeville, Owen Sound, and Stratford. The camp also has aboriginal community programs that include Aamjiwnaang, Cape Croker, and Walpole Island.

For students grades 10 and up, ESQ has established Catalyst, a summer leadership program that draws on the university's strengths in engineering, science, and innovation.

The university’s other big day camp, Arts Computer Experience offers campers a blend of classroom learning and outdoor activities, including opportunities in art, computers, drama, and music. A daily swim is included at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre. ACE runs in two-week sessions starting July 2, July 15, July 29, and August 12.

Also on offer is the Leaders-In-Motion (LIM) experience for youth aged 13-16. During the two-week LIM program, participants will enjoy a canoe trip down the Grand River, rock climbing, team building exercises, hands-on leadership opportunities, and an overnight stay in one of the university's residences. These sessions run simultaneously with the other ACE camps.

Several other specialized programs are also running in the spring and summer:

• The Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) is running CS Girls Rock, a workshop for female grade 9 and 10 students, from Saturday, May 25 to Saturday, June 1 at the main Waterloo campus and from Saturday, June 1 to Saturday, June 15 at the University of Calgary.

• The Ontario Mennonite Music Camp, August 11 to 23 at Conrad Grebel University College, for 12 to 16 year-olds.
  
• Conrad Grebel's Peace Camp, a weeklong camp experience for 11 to 14 year-olds, that runs from July 29 to August 2.
  
• Waterloo's branch of the Canada-wide Shad Valley program for gifted grade 11 and 12 students, a residential program running June 30 to July 26 and hosted by the Centre for Knowledge Integration.
  
• The Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students for grade 11 and 12 students, organized by the Institute for Quantum Computing, from August 12 to August 16
  
• The Warrior athletics program also offers summer opportunities for the younger generation.

In addition, the Hildegard Marsden Day Nursery and Klemmer Farmhouse Co-operative Nursery operate during the summer.

Did I miss any major summer programs? Send me an email and tell me about them.

Back to top

What's open and closed on Victoria Day

Monday, May 20 is Victoria Day, a statutory holiday in Canada and the unofficial start of the summer season. For those who don't know, Victoria Day honours Queen Victoria, who reigned 1837-1901, and there will be plenty of gardening, picnics, barbecues and fireworks if the weather holds.

No classes will be held Monday. The Columbia Icefield and the Physical Activities Complex will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19, and are both closed for the Monday holiday.

Retail Services outlets are closed Monday, reopening Tuesday. The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries, on the other hand, will be open from noon to 6:00 p.m.

Food Services locations are, as always, a mixed bag. Bon Appetit, Browser's Café, Brubaker's, Eye Opener, Liquid Assets, ML Coffee Shop, and all Tim Hortons locations are all closed Monday. The SLC Tim Hortons will be closed Saturday and Sunday as well. Mudie's will be open from 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Monday. The holiday closures do not affect Festival Fare, the PAS Lounge, Pastry Plus in BMH, and REVelation, which are all closed until September. A full breakdown of locations and hours can be found on the Food Services website.

As usual, UW Police will be available at 519-888-4911 (ext. 22222 on campus). It will take more than a statutory holiday for the Student Life Centre's Turnkey Desk to close, and the maintenance emergencies folks will be around as well at ext. 33793.

Back to top

Recruiting, reminders, and registrations

The University of Waterloo Sustainability Project is holding general volunteer recruitment meetings on May 22, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and May 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in MC 4061. Free food will be provided, and it is only necessary to attend one of the two meetings. The meetings are mandatory for anyone interested in volunteering with UWSP this semester. People who are unable to make the meetings because of a schedule conflict, but who are still interested in volunteering can contact UWSP via email for more information.

The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is also casting its net for those interested in research associate positions.

Finally, a reminder from the Secretariat that the Vice-President, Academic & Provost Nominating Committee is interested in hearing the campus community's views on matters concerning the provost position as the search continues. In particular:

• What are the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the University of Waterloo, and what is the role of the vice-president, academic & provost in addressing them?
  
• What advice do you have for the search committee as to the background, credentials, qualifications and leadership style that should be sought in the next vice-president, academic & provost?
  
• Do you have any suggestions as to individuals to whom the committee should speak about this opportunity?
  
  

Submissions should be directed to Logan Atkinson, secretary of the university (c/o Secretariat, Needles Hall; or via email). "Your confidential input and feedback will be very important in shaping the position profile and informing the direction of the search," says a statement from the nominating committee. The deadline for comments is May 31, and will be held in strict confidence.

Also, according to the Registrar's Office, today is the last day to add classes for the Spring 2013 term. See you Tuesday!

Back to top