Running with the Pack: "On Sunday, October 6 the School of Optometry & Vision Science under the team name of “Optometry Rack Pack” participated in the run for the cure," writes Andrea Carthew. "We had 42 people on our team and raised over $17,200 to support breast cancer."

The team was captained by Michelle Steenbakkers and was one of several uWaterloo teams participating.

"This team was pulled together to support of our colleague and friend Marie Amodeo and to show our support for other colleagues, alumni and friends who have battled cancer," Carthew concludes.

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Reddit founder to visit campus this fall

He's a man on a mission. A mission to make the world "suck less."

Alexis Ohanian, founder of social media website reddit, is set to speak to students at the University of Waterloo in November.

At Waterloo, Ohanian (left) will address an audience of students, entrepreneurs and community members to motivate and inspire the next generation of innovative change-makers.

“Alexis Ohanian is a tremendous example of the modern tech-entrepreneur, someone who is innovating and making disruptive changes to the world,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur. “Waterloo is well-known for being a place where innovation takes root and change begins, so this is the perfect place for Alexis to share his experiences.”

Promoting his new book, Without Their Permission, Ohanian promises that the tour is the exact opposite of a traditional book tour. The week before his visit to Waterloo, he will engage with users on the University of Waterloo subreddit to source topics for his keynote address.

Waterloo is currently Ohanian’s only visit to a Canadian university on a tour of more than 70 colleges and universities in North America. During the visit he will also spend time with student entrepreneurs offering exclusive mentoring and advice.

Ohanian, a startup founder and investor, started reddit with co-founder Steve Huffman after graduating from the University of Virginia in 2005. Now a reddit board member, Ohanian focuses on social enterprise Breadpig, publishing authors such as xkcd and SMBC - with profits donated to worthy causes.

Ohanian helped launch hipmunk and ran marketing, public relations and community outreach before becoming an advisor and joining the fight against the US Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect I.P. Act. Ohanian invests and advises over 70 tech startups. He's Y Combinator's Ambassador to the East, and co-founder of the non-profit IHAS.

His talk will take place in the Davis Centre at Waterloo on Friday, November 22, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. Registration details are available online.

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Alumnus gets to the core of ergonomics

The search for a better-built office chair has led one Waterloo alumnus to launch a Kickstarter campaign.

Patrick Harrison, who will be receiving an Applied Health Sciences Alumni Achievement Award at Friday’s convocation ceremony, is behind the CoreChair Kickstarter campaign.

As of Saturday, the campaign is over 60 per cent funded with 17 days left on the clock.

Harrison has worked in the area of biomechanics and ergonomics since graduating with a Kinesiology degree, developing a company called Special Health Systems, which designed and manufactured specialized seating systems for people in wheelchairs. The company was sold in 1995.

CoreChair is his latest venture, billed as a “dynamic postural support system that stimulates your core muscles and prevents back pain.”

“With a keen interest in the biomechanics of sitting I began to see the real need for people who were confined to a desk, in a task chair that did not allow movement,” Harrison says. “What really caught my attention was the growing incidence of people who were taking a ball to the office to replace this chair and allow them some dynamic movement while they sit.”

The CoreChair, six years in the making, has a seat that articulates on an axis “immediately beneath the user’s centre of mass,” allowing them to move about in any direction. This movement can be adjusted to an individual user’s preferences.

Harrison worked with AHS professor Jack Callaghan to investigate the kinematics of the chair. This isn’t their first collaboration: Harrison worked with Callaghan on an earlier project for a Seattle-based company, Magic Wheels, that introduced a geared wheel for wheelchairs that allowed users to access more diverse terrain without the need for power wheelchairs.

“As I was very impressed by Dr. Callaghan’s expertise and the professionalism of his team, I then approached Jack to lead the research o the CoreChair,” Harrison says. “Along with his team, Diana, Tom and Mike, they did an excellent job in objectively establishing the kinematics of the chair.”

“I have good memories of my days at uWaterloo and draw on much of what I learned in the Kinesiology program in what I do from day to day,” Harrison adds.

The 30-day funding period ends on Thursday, November 7 at 10:02 a.m.

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Senate meets today and other notes

The university's Senate meets today at 3:30 p.m. in NH 3001. Among the agenda items are amendments to the admission and degree requirements for the master of accounting program offered by the School of Accounting and Finance, revisions to the Kinesiology Ergonomics Option, and revisions to the Doctor of Pharmacy academic plan. Senate will also consider changes to the description and criteria for the prestigious University Professor designation, and will approve the lists of candidates for degrees, diplomas and certificates as recommended by the Faculty Councils and the associate provost, graduate studies. President Feridun Hamdullahpur will take senators on a tour of the latest Annual Performance Indicators.

The Centre for Career Action is hosting "Hot Tips from the Pros!" on Tuesday, October 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in TC 2218. An expert employer panel will be on hand, featuring representatives from Electronic Arts, the City of Brampton, Grand River Hospital and Christie Digital. Participants in the event will learn what the "pros" look for in a resumé and cover letter, what makes for a successful job interview, and insights into what contributes to success on the job.

The WatPD bake sale will be taking place in the Tatham Centre's lobby on Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with all proceeds going to the United Way.

The School of Planning and the Pragma Council have organized a public lecture featuring Glen Weisbrod, the president of Economic Development Research group, Inc., entitled “Evolving Transportation Investment and its Implications for Economic and Land Development” on Thursday, October 31 at 3:30 p.m., EV3 1408. During his remarks, Weisbrod will discuss the importance of the relationship between economic development and transportation.

The David Johnston Research + Technology Park received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The park won for its 2012 project in the category "Magazines for communities with populations of 25,000-200,000." The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 8, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held from October 6 to 9 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders, honouring organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Congratulations, tech park!

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