Alumna named one of the UK's most influential

A graduate from the School of Architecture has been named one of the most influential people in Great Britain by the Sunday Times newspaper.

Alison Brooks (right), who graduated from Waterloo in 1998, was named to the list for demonstrating "outstanding influence, achievement and the capacity to inspire.” The jury citation states, "Brooks is a powerful force in British architecture with her drive to produce handsome housing for ordinary people."

“Alison’s accomplishments are an inspiration for our students,” said Professor Ila Berman, director of Waterloo’s School of Architecture. “Her reputation speaks to the strength of our international alumni network, and her professionalism and creativity reflect the tremendous education our students receive.”

Specialist publisher DeBrett's and the Sunday Times newspaper compiled the 'Influential 500' list through selection committees comprising industry leaders and experts in 25 fields ranging from architecture, politics and literature to technology, healthcare and broadcasting.

The list includes people creating radical waves in their industries, who, as it indicates, “give fresh stimulus to thinking and lead by example as they show us what the combination of exceptional talent, unswerving dedication and sheer hard work can achieve.”

Brooks appears alongside such notable people as Sir David Attenborough, Sir Ridley Scott; Sir Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Stella McCartney, Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, Sir James Dyson, Jamie Oliver, Steve McQueen, Lord Coe and Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

This is the latest in a string of accolades paid to Brooks, who was awarded Woman Architect of the Year by the Architect's Journal in 2013, shortlisted for the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize and Supreme Winner of the 2013 Housing Design Awards.

Brooks moved to London shortly after graduating from Waterloo and spent the following seven years working in partnership with Ron Arad, a notable designer-artist-architect. She left the partnership in 1996 to start her own firm, Alison Brooks Architects (ABA). The practice delivers work ranging from regeneration masterplans to theatres and private art galleries.

ABA is the first firm to win all three of the UK’s most prestigious awards for architecture: the Stirling Prize (2008), the Manser Medal (2007) and the Stephen Lawrence Prize (2006).

Waterloo’s School of Architecture, part of the Faculty of Engineering, is one of North America’s leading architecture schools, according to Azure magazine.

More information on the Influential 500 appears on the DeBrett's website.

 

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Football coach leaving for CFL post

Joe Paopao, head coach of the University of Waterloo Warrior Football program, is taking a new position as an assistant coach with BC Lions.

Paopao has spent seven seasons on the Warrior coaching staff and was named head coach in February 2013 after serving as interim head coach during the 2012 campaign. Before taking the top job, Paopao was the offensive coordinator and signal caller for the black and gold.

“I would like to personally thank the University of Waterloo for allowing me the opportunity to mentor the student-athletes, past and present, in its football program,” said Paopao. “To the staff, support staff, student body, community and especially our student-athletes, a profound and heartfelt thank you for making my time here at Waterloo a very memorable one. My family and I are looking forward to the next chapter in our lives.”

Paopao’s move is a return to his football roots. He began his playing career as quarterback for the Lions in 1978, where he led the Lions in passing for three seasons and set a CFL record in 1979 for most pass completions in a single game. Paopao enjoyed a 12-year career in the CFL before becoming a highly respected coach in the league. He is a member of the BC Lions Wall of Fame and was inducted into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame in 2007.

“We would like to thank Joe for his leadership and mentorship he brought to our student-athletes and football program over the past seven seasons,” said Christine Stapleton, associate director of athletics at Waterloo. “His professional approach to football on and off the field will be truly missed and we wish Joe all the best with the Lions.”

Marshall Bingeman, assistant coach, is appointed interim head coach and director of football operations. Bingeman has spent 23 years on the coaching staff of the Warriors. This is the second time in his coaching career he has been named interim head coach. In 2006 Bingeman took over for Chris Triantafilou.

 

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Latest LITE grant winners announced

by Julie Timmermans.

"In collaboration with the Office of the Associate Vice President, Academic, the Centre for Teaching Excellence is pleased to announce that two new LITE Full Grant projects were funded through the October 2013 competition," writes the Centre for Teaching Excellence's Julie Timmermans. "Congratulations to the recipients!"

The funded projects are:

• “A Comparison of Traditional and Experiential Approaches to First-Year Geomatics Instruction” by Peter Johnson, Peter Deadman, and Richard Kelly, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment; and
• “Enhancing Written Communication in Social Work” by Alice Schmidt Hanbidge, School of Social Work, Renison University College, and Judi Jewinski, Office of the Vice-President, Academic & Provost

The LITE Grants are intended to provide support for experimenting with and investigating innovative approaches to enhancing teaching that aim to foster deep student learning at the university.

Two kinds of grants are available: LITE Seed Grants for projects up to $5,000, and LITE Full Grants for projects up to $30,000. Both grant formats emphasize the contribution of the projects to Waterloo's learning community.

For more information about the Grants and to browse descriptions of completed and current projects, please visit the newly redesigned LITE Grant website .

Anyone considering applying for a grant is invited to contact Dr. Julie Timmermans at the Centre for Teaching Excellence via email or by calling extension 32940.

 

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If you CanBuild it, they will come

by Community Relations & Events.

Did you know that each term over 170 students access food assistance through the Feds Food Bank?  Thousands in our community also rely on basic need support each month through the Waterloo Region Food Bank.  Help our campus make a difference through our first ever UWaterloo CanBuild - it's less than a month away! 

Pull together your team - big or small - competing in the following can building award categories:

• Best Meal Award: The food products used in the structure could make a complete meal. Nutritious choices, which include all food groups, are important.
• Ingenuity Award: How did they get that to stand? This structure will be the most innovative and will demonstrate the clever use of resources.
• Most Cans Award: Based on the total quantity of can/food products used.
• Judges’ Award: The judges pick their favourite structure.
• Spirit Award: This award demonstrates the best use of the University of Waterloo’s visual identity (colours, logo) and promotes internal pride.
• People’s Choice Award: The University of Waterloo community votes for their favourite structure via social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) Note: The People’s Choice Award voting will end at 5pm on February 28. 

All food raised is used for our Feds Food Bank and the Waterloo Region Food Bank.  Cash donations are also gratefully accepted.

Register your team now and start planning your build! Visit UWaterloo CanBuild to register a team and for more information on rules and tips for building.

 

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Factoids on February's first Friday

Yesterday, Twitter user "Jasmeena Scarlem" snapped this screenshot of Bill Cosby sporting a familiar-looking sweatshirt (as opposed to his usual "Cosby sweater") and uploaded the image, where it was retweeted widely:

..Bill Cosby reppin a University of Waterloo sweater what whaaattttt!! pic.twitter.com/PklJOeJEJ3

— Jasmeena Scarlem (@jk_scarlem) February 6, 2014

The image comes from an episode of the show "Cosby" (no, his other sitcom), which ran from 1996 to 2000. The episode featuring the University of Waterloo sweatshirt was originally broadcast on April 14, 2000, and at the time, attracted enough attention for the Daily Bulletin to mention it in passing. The episode is available in its entirety on YouTube, with the sweatshirt making its appearance at about the 2 and a half minute mark.

Other notes:

2 Days, $2: Feds Used Books is have a 2-day, 2-dollar book sale on Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday, February 26. Over 1,400 books will be for sale in the Student Life Centre's Vendor Alley from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Conrad Centre’s team of MBET students were the runners-up at the RBC Next Great Innovator Challenge competition that took place on January 17.

Human Resources is reporting that the following retired staff members have died recently:

• Benjamin Toth died November 30, 2013. Toth joined the University of Waterloo in August 1970 and worked in the Library as a Librarian before his retirement in April 1996.
• Ruth Golbeck died January 24. She started at the University in September 1967 and was a Food Services Assistant in Food Services. She retired in May 1984.
  
  

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