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Friday, November 8, 2013

 

 

  • President speaks, signs MOU in Azerbaijan
  • Faculty of Arts showcases major success
  • Mennonite Archives launches peace guide
  • Audited financial statements online; other notes

 

 

Pouring, not boring: On Tuesday October 29, the Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT) hosted a group of grade 5 and 6 students from Waterloo's Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School.

"Many of the CPATT graduate students participating in this event by showing the students some of the projects underway in CPATT," writes Laura Bland of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "The students were able to have a hands on experience in both the structures laboratory and the pavement laboratory at the Civil and Environmental Department at the University of Waterloo."

The visit concluded with a short presentation from CPATT Director Susan Tighe, who described some of the many activities CPATT is involved in.


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President speaks, signs MOU in Azerbaijan

Last week, President Feridun Hamdullahpur travelled to Azerbaijan to participate in the Baku International Humanitarian Forum, which took place on October 31 and November 1.

The conference was a forum for scientific, political and cultural leaders including senior government officials, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders of influential international organizations. Hamdullahpur chaired the "Scientific Innovations and Their Transfer into Education" roundtable and delivered a speech during the forum's plenary session.

Minister of Communications and Information technologies Ali Abbasov and Feridun Hamdullahpur.In addition to his participation at the forum, Hamdullahpur held a number of meetings with top government officials including Azerbaijan's Minister of Education Mikayil Jabbarov, the Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov (pictured at right with the president), and the chairman of a State Committee.

During the trip, the president also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Baku State University (BSU). The agreement encourages and enables first-year BSU students to apply for admission to undergraduate programs in Waterloo's faculties of Mathematics and Science. Above, Hamdullahpur is pictured signing the agreement with Baku State University Rector Abel Maharramov.

Photographs provided by Ilham Akhundov.

 

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Faculty of Arts showcases major success

One event. Three hours. 24 majors.

The Faculty of Arts is hosting a Major Showcase on Tuesday, November 12 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall.

The showcase promises to bring together representatives from each of Arts’ 24 majors, including current students, staff, and faculty, to help students who have not yet declared a major, including first-year Honours Arts/Arts and Business and upper-year Liberal Studies students learn about the different majors they can choose from.

First-year academic advisors, Arts peer mentors, and the Arts international exchange team will also be present at the event to answer questions and provide information about the upper-year experience in Arts.

Students can drop in to the Student Life Centre Great Hall anytime between 2:30 and 5:30 pm on November 12 to chat with major representatives. The orange Arts banners will be hard to miss.

Anyone with questions can contact the Arts Undergraduate Office.


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Mennonite Archives launches peace guide

by Laureen Harder-Gissing. Originally published by the Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

What was it like to be a conscientious objector during World War II? Did Mennonites participate in the War of 1812? Did Mennonite women contribute to World War I relief efforts? Do Mennonites celebrate Remembrance Day?

These are some of the questions asked at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by genealogists, local historians, school children and academics. The “peace position” has been part of Mennonite doctrine and practice for nearly 500 years. Naturally, there is a great deal of curiosity about how the Mennonite commitment to non-participation in war has provided them with unique historical experiences and perspectives.

To encourage this growing interest, the Archives has created a peace research guide to our holdings. Since archives are organized by creator not subject, identifying peace-related sources can be time consuming. The guide identifies source materials for peace history with a focus on Mennonite responses to military conflicts.

Spanning the years from 1786 to the present, the guide highlights the rich collections in peace history held at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. Listings range from 19th century military exemption papers and World War I military tribunal records, to taped interviews with World War II conscientious objectors and efforts by Ontario Mennonites to raise awareness of Central American conflicts in the 1980s. As the guide is electronic, new listings will continue to be added as peace-related historical documents make their way to the Archives.

Currently the Mennonite Archives of Ontario, housed at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, is undergoing a large renovation that will make the collection more accessible. However, researchers can use the guide to locate materials of interest, and then make an appointment at the Archives to view them in person. The new facilities are projected to be open in June of 2014.


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Audited financial statements online; other notes

Finance has published the University of Waterloo's audited financial statements for the year ending April 30, 2013 and the Schedule of Operating Expenses for April 30, 2013 and the Schedule of Ancillary Enterprises Income and Expenses for April 30, 2013.

The Registrar's Office has informed students that they can begin making changes to their Winter 2014 timetable in Quest starting on Monday, November 11. To view a specific drop/add start time, students need to log into Quest and follow four steps:

  1. Click Academics
  2. Click Enroll
  3. Select the term and then click continue
  4. Click Appointments

Step-by-step instructions can be viewed on the "How do I view my appointment time for the beginning of drop/add?" web page.

Human Resources reports that the following faculty members retired as of October 1:

Wendy Mitchinson, who started at the university in July 1985 as an associate professor, retired as Professor in the history department.

Human Resources is also reporting that the following staff members retired as of October 1:


  • Darlene Radicioni, who started at the university in September 1988, retires as Program Coordinator, Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs in the Centre for Teaching Excellence
  • Norma Code, who began working at the university in February 1987, retired as Chairperson Secretary in the Department of English Language and Literature
  • Margaret Yuen, who joined the university in April 1977, retires as a Librarian
  • Gail Hudson, who began working at the university in February 1999, retires as Administrative Assistant in Statistics and Actuarial Science
  • Theresa Murray, who started at the university in July 1990, retires as Residence Attendant in Housing and Residences.

 

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Warrior Home Games this weekend

Friday, November 8

• Men’s Volleyball vs. Toronto (6:00 p.m.)
• Women’s Volleyball vs. Toronto (8:00 p.m.)

Saturday, November 9

* Men’s Volleyball vs. Ryerson (6:00 p.m.)
• Women’s Volleyball vs. Ryerson (8:00 p.m.)

Link of the day

World Town Planning Day

When and where

UWSA 9th Annual Shopping Trip, Friday, November 8 to Sunday, November 10. Details.

Ontario Celebration of Women in Computing, Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9. Details

Flu Clinic for High Risk Populations, Friday, November 8, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Health Services. Details.

Knowledge Integration Seminar, "The ReMaker Society," Friday, November 8, 2:30 p.m., EV3 1408. Details.

Quantitative Biology Seminar featuring Andrew Doxy, Asst. Professor, Biology department,University of Waterloo, "Exploring the genomic and evolutionary basis of human height
variation using computational genomics," Friday, November 8, 2:30 p.m., B1 266.

Cheriton School of Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Maria Klawe, Harvey Mudd College, " From 10% to 40% Female CS Majors: The Harvey Mudd College Story," Friday, November 8, 3:30 p.m., DC 1302. Details.

Flu Immunization Clinics, Tuesday, November 12 to Thursday, November 14, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., SLC Multipurpose Room. Details.

Stand Up to Stigma Mental Health Campaign, Tuesday, November 12, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Davis Centre Atrium. Details.


Arts Major Showcase, Tuesday, November 12, 2:30 p.m., Student Life Centre Great Hall.

Chemistry Department Seminar Series featuring Prof. Danny Frederickson, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, “Chemical frustration:  Lessons in Materials Design from Complex Intermetallic Phases”, Tuesday, November 12 at 2:30 p.m., C2-361. Details.

Zonta Film Festival, Tuesday, November 12 to Thursday, November 14, Princess Twin Cinema. Details.

VeloCity Pitch Night Socials, Wednesday, November 13 and Thursday, November 14, 7:00 p.m., M3 Lobby. Free pizza. Details.

Stand Up to Stigma Mental Health Campaign, Wednesday, November 13, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Carl A. Pollock Hall and Columbia Ice Fields and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Village 1 Main Lounge. Details.

The Keystone Campaign presents: "BABU & You: celebrating the power of philanthropy," Wednesday, November 13, 12:00 p.m., QNC 0101. Details.

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (I.B.M.B.) Seminar Series featuring Dr. Sophie Jackson, Reader in Biophysical Chemistry, Cambridge University, “Protein Knots:  Which? Where? How and Why?” Wednesday, November 13, 3:30 p.m., C2-361. Details.

Wednesday Night Discussion Group, Wednesday, November 13, 7:15 p.m., MC 5136. Details.

Book launch event, "The Edge of the Precipice – Why Read Literature in the Digital Age?", compiled and edited by Paul Socken, Wednesday, November 13, 4:30 p.m., Bookstore, South Campus Hall.

Stand Up to Stigma Mental Health Campaign, Thursday, November 14, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Davis Centre Atrium and Hagey Hall Atrium. Details.

University Senate Meeting, Monday, November 18, 3:30 p.m., NH 3001.

Cheriton School of Computer Science Colloquium Series presents Jo Atlee, Professor, University of Waterloo, Cheriton School of Computer Science "Feature Interactions: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," Tuesday, November 19, 3:30 p.m., DC 1302.

Wednesday Night Discussion Group, Wednesday, November 20, 7:15 p.m., MC 5136. Details.

reddit Founder Alex Ohanian visits University of Waterloo campus, Friday, November 22, 8:00 p.m., Davis Centre. Details.

WatRISQ and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science present Steven Kou, Director, Centre for Quantitative Finance, National University of Singapore, "Robust Measurement of Economic Tail Risk," Tuesday, November 26, 4:00 p.m., DC 1304.

Wednesday Night Discussion Group, Wednesday, November 27, 7:15 p.m., MC 5136. Details.

Retirement Celebration for Carolyn Nelson, Thursday, November 28, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., HH 373.

VeloCity Fund Finals, Thursday, November 28, 11:00 a.m., Student Life Centre Great Hall. Details.

Lectures end, Monday, December 2.

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