Quantum satellite one step closer to launch

by Jodi Szimanski.

IQC researchers, led by Thomas Jennewein, have been awarded $250,000 by the Canadian Space Agency to train and develop Canadian graduate students through a space science and technology project.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) funding will support Thomas Jennewein (Physics and Astronomy) and his QEYSSat team in conducting a demonstration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) between a receiver payload on an airborne platform and a transmitter on the ground.

Previous experiments by other researchers have shown that by placing a transmitter on a tethered low-altitude balloon they could downlink QKD. With a new innovative approach, Jennewein's team will demonstrate uplink QKD with the receiver flying to establish QKD up to a moving airborne platform. This project takes Jennewein's team one step closer to demonstrating space-based QKD as part of the proposed QEYSSat microsatellite mission.

The IQC project was one of 10 CSA funded projects announced this week. The CSA awards help give graduate students hands-on experience in designing, building and testing flying scientific technologies with the goal of keeping Canada at the forefront of space research.

 

Back to top

Environmental Commissioner visits campus

by Sam Toman. This article was first published in the Faculty of Environment news page.

Gord Miller, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), and his Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee will be on the University of Waterloo campus on Wednesday, June 4 to engage with Faculty of Environment research groups, including graduate students.

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is the province's independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the Commissioner is tasked with monitoring and reporting on compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights, and the government's success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in achieving greater energy conservation in Ontario.

Commissioner Miller and his staff will arrive on campus at 1:15 p.m. for research presentations on topics including energy, water, climate change, ecology from Environment’s top graduate students representing the Faculty’s most high profile research.

“Waterloo is a great source of innovation in Ontario and they have been on the leading edge of many environmental issues facing our province,” says Miller. “I am especially eager to hear from the students about their research and their ideas for our future.”

Commissioner Miller tours different parts of the province each year to learn about the environmental issues, challenges and successes happening across Ontario.  These site visits give him the opportunity to meet with the public, government staff, industry, and academics.  The results of local research, conservation, and environmental initiatives help to inform his reports to the Ontario legislature.

“Gord Miller and his staff have been very effective at ensuring that the scope and process of Ontario’s environmental laws and regulations have been followed,” said Stephen Murphy, professor and chair of Environment & Resource Studies and a member of the advisory committee. “The ECO is nearly unique in Canada at ensuring that laws and regulations are enforced – or else they would be moot – and the ECO provides vision on what Ontario can do to be stronger in protection of the environment.”

 

Back to top

Nominations open for grad supervision award

Nominations have opened for the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision.

This award, normally given to three faculty members at each spring Convocation, was established by the Graduate Studies Office in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association to "recognized exemplary faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in graduate student supervision." The recipients will be honoured with a $1,000 award.

"Graduate student supervision requires complex interaction between graduate students and the graduate supervisor," says the nomination announcement. "An outstanding graduate supervisor is a mentor, an advisor, a role model, a humanist and a strategist. A caring and effective supervisor possesses a high level of energy and ingenuity."

Nominations must be made by current or former graduate student(s) supervised by the nominee and supported by one or more senior academic colleagues who are familiar with the nominee's supervisory record. This could be a Chair, an Associate Chair/Graduate Officer of the Department, a Faculty Dean or a Faculty Associate Dean, Graduate Studies.

The nomination must be supported by past and present graduate students of the nominee and other graduate students who have had the opportunity to receive guidance or informal mentoring from the nominee. Details as to what a nomination package must be comprised of are outlined in the guidelines.

Other notes to bear in mind: the letters can be address "To Whom It May Concern," and the cover letter should have a different author than the supporting letter. The primary nominator is the one whose name should be on the nomination form.

Nominations must be submitted to the Office of the Faculty Associate Dean, Graduate Studies by Wednesday, June 11. The Faculty Associate Dean, Graduate Studies will assess the nominations and submit a subset of them to the attention of Heidi Mussar in the Graduate Studies Office by Wednesday, June 25.

The number of nominations varies per faculty: Applied Health Sciences and Environment may submit up to 2 nominations, while Arts, Engineering, Mathematics and Science may submit up to four nominations.

Back to top

Find the right Catalyst for a great summer

Beginning June 30, high school students will have the opportunity to experience engineering though a number of hands-on workshops and participate in design, entrepreneurship and problem solving sessions.

Catalyst offers a unique, interdisciplinary approach to the “traditional” leadership program by offering a two-week (80 hour) volunteer opportunity with partner program Engineering Science Quest.

The Catalyst Summer Leadership Program runs 3 separate sessions, each one month in duration:

• Session 1: June 30 – July 28
• Session 2: July 14 – August 8
• Session 3: July 28 – August 22

The program is open to high school students from grades 9 to 12. The deadline for applications is Saturday, June 14.

 

Back to top