Chris Hadfield named to Order of Canada

Adjunct professor of aviation and retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield can add one more title to his growing resume: Officer of the Order of Canada.

On June 30, 2014, Hadfield was among 86 outstanding Canadians appointed to the Order of Canada by Governor General and former University of Waterloo president David Johnston.

“This is a truly well-deserved honour for a remarkably distinguished Canadian and a great friend of the University of Waterloo,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “As a valued member of our professoriate and an inspiration to millions of Canadians, the University of Waterloo extends our sincere congratulations to Colonel Hadfield and his family.”

As the first Canadian astronaut to command the International Space Station, Hadfield used social media to share his extraterrestrial experience with more than a million followers on Earth. He is expected to assuming teaching and advising responsibilities at Waterloo beginning in the fall term.

Other appointees named to the Order of Canada on Monday include Jean Chamberlain Froese, who received an honorary doctor of laws from Waterloo’s Faculty of Applied Health Sciences in 2013, honouring her work in maternal health and social justice.

Hadfield and Froese join other notable Waterloo alumni in the Order of Canada, including Ron Schlegel, Robert Harding, Tom Jenkins, Stephen Carpenter, Doug Letson, John Daniel and Wesley Nichol.

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Zoologist celebrated for sticking her neck out

by Susan Gow.

Professor Anne Innis Dagg of Waterloo’s Independent Studies program was the guest of honour at the first birthday party for a pair of rare twin reticulated giraffes, Wasswa and Nakato, born at the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch near San Antonio Texas. The event celebrated the first World Giraffe Day on Saturday, June 21, an initiative to support giraffe conservation by fêting “the longest-necked creature on the longest day!”

Professor Dagg was the first person to study giraffes in their natural environment. She began field research on giraffes in 1956 with a solo trip to South Africa (recounted in “Wild Journey: The Anne Innis Story,” the 2011 CBC Radio’s Ideas program) and travelled to Mauritania in 1972 and 1973 to study camels there. She earned her PhD in 1967 in animal behaviour from the University of Waterloo and in 1978 began teaching at the Independent Studies program, then known as Integrated Studies.

Professor Dagg travelled to the Samburu National Reserve and Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya in August 2013 with the crew of the Alison Reid documentary currently in production, Giraffes: The Forgotten Giants (Free Spirit Films, working title Pursuing Giraffes), and plans a return trip this coming August. The film documents what is known about giraffes as much as it reveals the career of Dr. Dagg and her efforts now to discover solutions for the potential extinction of giraffes.

Her most recent books are testaments to her dedication and voice for creatures unable to speak for themselves: Giraffe: Biology, Behaviour and Conservation (2014, Cambridge University Press), Human Evolution and Male Aggression: Debunking the Myth of Man and Ape (2012, Cambria Press), and Animal Friendships (2010, Cambridge University Press). She is currently completing a children’s book, 5 Giraffes, for Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Toronto.

What is the goal of World Giraffe Day? Says Dagg: “Elephant are considered an endangered species and yet giraffe, which are far fewer in number, are not. We must work together to prevent the extermination of giraffe in the wild.”

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Diversity shines as Waterloo shows its Pride

by Jacqueline Martinz. This is the latest in a series of #UWCommunity weekly features that highlight Waterloo in the community.

As Katy Perry's hit song Firework filled the air, 150 members of the University of Waterloo community began marching in the World Pride Parade on June 29, 2014.

Situated before the Canadian Olympic Team on the parade route in downtown Toronto, the group were a colourful sight with yellow t-shirts that had “Rise Up” in black letters on the front. Rise Up was the message Pride organizers wanted to spread this year.

“The Federation of Students (Feds) contingent chose the song Firework by Katy Perry to represent that theme,” said Nicole Joron, special events coordinator, diversity and equity for Feds. “We had a choreographed dance to the lyrics that all of the marchers performed. Also, we had lyrics from the song on display on our truck and float.”

Each year Waterloo's Federation of Students organize a group of students, faculty and staff to march in the parade, demonstrating the diverse culture that exists within our University. This year there were two contingents set up – one by Feds and the other by the Engineering Society – to ensure as many people as possible were able to participate.

“Along with doing our part for a fantastic cause, the parade is also an opportunity for those on campus to meet new people and have fun,” said Joron.

For Feds President Danielle Burt, who was among the 150 marchers, the highlight was hearing the crowd join in the University of Waterloo cheer.

“It was high energy all day from our volunteers, and school pride was at an all-time high,” she said. “Our team danced in the march for two hours without stopping.” The group was popular with the audience, and received many high-fives.

The World Pride Parade was a true spectacle with the largest number of participants yet. The parade started an hour earlier than in previous years to accommodate all of the entries.

Anyone who wasn't able to attend this year should mark June 2015 in their calendars and watch for the Feds announcement to take part in celebrating the Pride Festival with the University of Waterloo next year.

Photo courtesy of the Federation of Students.

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Building Waterloo Region and other notes

Building Waterloo Region, a festival of exhibitions and related events that explore and celebrate the past, present and future of "progressive architecture and design excellence in Waterloo Region" kicks off today.

"The festival celebrates the tradition of progressive design and architectural excellence in Waterloo Region through a program of exhibitions at multiple sites, plus live events such as walking tours, public forums, and lectures which provide opportunities for reflection and discussion on the future of the built environment in the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo."

Rick Haldenby, associate professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, is one of the festival's executive curators. Haldenby and the festival were recently profiled by the Waterloo Chronicle.

The festival is taking on a special significance this year as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the School of Architecture's home in Cambridge's former Riverside Silk Mills.

Visitors can check out a program of exhibitions at multiple sites in the region as well as walking tours, public forums, and lectures. Exhibits open at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 5. Shuttle buses will be connecting the various sites from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Launch weekend festivities include the Ex Industria exhibition launch party at the Design at Riverside Gallery housed in the University of Waterloo School of Architecture today at 7:00 p.m.

Human Resources has reported a number of recent retiree deaths:

Professor Emeritus Michael Elmitt died June 8. Elmitt began his career at the University in September 1971 in the School of Architecture. A specialist in design (he's pictured at right with a prototype rowing shell), Elmitt was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2004. He retired in March 2007. He is survived by his spouse, Audrey.

Robert Ross Duke died June 15. Duke worked in Security (Police Services) as an Information Officer. He started in September 1970 and retired in May 1989. He is survived by his spouse, Wanda.

The Water Institute has announced that following the May 2014 meeting of the University's Senate Graduate and Research Council, the Water Institute has been approved for another five-year term. This approval followed the submission of the institute's Five-Year Review Report.

Plant Operations is reporting that the service road from East Campus Hall across the tracks to the Ring Road will be closed for one week starting Monday, July 7. The closure will facilitate the construction of an internal road connection to the BlackBerry properties to allow service vehicles to access the new property internally.

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