Science convocation ceremonies today

The Faculty of Science owns the stage at Convocation today, with two ceremonies taking place as the Spring 2014 convocation festivities reach the halfway mark.

The first ceremony takes place today at 10:00 a.m. for the 419 students in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computational Science, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, Physics, Science, Science and Aviation, Science and Business, Science Biotechnology/Chartered Accountancy, and Science Biotechnology/Economics.

Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer will receive an honorary Doctor of Science. Professor Heuer is Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), an international scientific collaboration composed of 21 member states and over 50 participating countries. He earned his PhD in physics at the University of Heidelberg in 1977. He was a staff member at CERN from 1984 to 1998, and served as spokesperson for the OPAL experiment at CERN’s Large Electron- Positron Collider from 1994-1998. Since 1998, he has been a professor of experimental physics at the University of Hamburg in Germany. In 2012 he was co-awarded the Edison Volta Prize by the European Physical Society for leading efforts that resulted in many significant advances in high energy particle physics.

Danica Cui will deliver the valedictory address.

Kashif Memon will receive the Distinguished Teacher Award.

Kevin Eng will receive both the Alumni Gold Medal and the Governor General's Silver Medal.

The afternoon ceremony, which commences at 2:30 p.m., will feature 385 graduands from Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Optometry & Vision Science, Pharmacy, and Psychology.

Malcolm J. Moore will receive an honorary Doctor of Science. Moore is the program head of medical oncology and hematology at Princess Margaret Hospital, as well as director of the McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer. Graduating from the University of Waterloo in 1976 with a BMath degree, he earned his MD at the University of Western Ontario in 1980 and completed further residencies in internal medicine and clinical oncology at the University of Toronto. His versatile approach to the role of cancer researcher and clinician includes leading site groups, directing drug development, and serving on prominent editorial boards and grant review panels; however, his greatest contribution has been to assist countless patients and their families through the most difficult periods of their lives.

Lindsey Lebert will deliver the valedictory address.

Kyra Jones will receive the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student.

The following students will receive Dean of Science Awards for recognition of creative research as presented in a student's Master's thesis:

• Daiana R. Duca, Biology
  
• Pierre-Etienne Cabelguen, Chemistry
  
• Joel Angen, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  
• Stacey Chong, Optometry and Vision Science
  
• Chi Hong Sum, Pharmacy
  
• Michael Mazurek, Physics and Astronomy

Receiving the W.B. Pearson Medal for recognition of creative research as presented in a student's Doctoral thesis are:

• Lital Sever, Biology
  
• Samy Mohamady, Chemistry
  
• Madeline S. Rosamond, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  
• Nafiseh Nafissi, Pharmacy
  
• Jonathan Lavoie, Physics and Astronomy

Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies awards will be given to Varadharaja Jayakumar (master's) and Jonathan Lavoie (doctoral).

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Also today: a provincial election

Ontarians head to the polls today for the provincial election, which will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Before the election, eligible voters should have received a Notice of Registration Card that lets them know the location and addressing of the Election Day polling locations. If you did not receive one and don't know where to vote, Elections Ontario has a handy polling station identifier. In addition, if you didn't receive a card, you can bring a piece of identification with your name and residential address on it when you come to vote, and Elections Ontario will add your name to the eligible voters roll. Elections Ontario has a list of acceptable pieces of identification.

Voters vote in the riding where they live. Students may choose to cast their ballots in the district in which they live during the school year, or in the district where they live while not attending school (and not both, despite the phrase "vote early, vote often").

Students living in V1, Rev, MKV, or one of the colleges can vote at polling stations in the Davis Centre Foyer from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

So, who's running in local ridings where the University has a footprint?

Cambridge

Temara Brown (Green)

Allan Dettweiler (Libertarian)

Rob Leone (PC)

Kathryn McGarry (Liberal)
Bobbi Stewart (NDP)

The University of Waterloo's School of Architecture is located in the Cambridge district. Candidate Rob Leone is the incumbent.

Kitchener Centre

• Patrick Bernier (Libertarian)
  
• Margaret Johnston (NDP)
• Ronnie Smith (Green)
• Daiene Vernile (Liberal)
  
• Wayne Wettlaufer (PC)
  

There is no incumbent in this riding, as MPP and cabinet minister John Milloy is not running in the election. Candidate Margaret Johnston is a University of Waterloo employee, working as a Business Developer in Co-operative Education & Career Action (CECA).

Kitchener-Conestoga

• Wayne Wright (Liberal)
  
• James Villeneuve (NDP)
  
• Michael Harris (PC)
  
• David Weber (Green)

Candidate Michael Harris is the incumbent.

Kitchener-Waterloo

• Jamie Burton (Liberal)
• Stacey Danckert (Green)
• Catherine Fife (NDP)
• Tracey Weiler (PC)

The University of Waterloo's main campus is located in the Kitchener-Waterloo district. Candidate Catherine Fife is the incumbent.

Parry Sound-Muskoka

• Troy Brown (Libertarian)
• Norm Miller (PC)
• Clyde Mobbley (NDP)
• Matt Richter (Green)
• Dan Waters (Liberal)

Parry Sound-Muskoka is the district in which the Summit Centre for the Environment is located. Candidate Norm Miller is the incumbent.

Perth-Wellington

• Chris Desjardins (Green)
• Scott Marshall (Libertarian)
• Randy Pettapiece (PC)
• Stewart Skinner (Liberal)
  
• Romayne Smith Fullerton (NDP)

The Perth-Wellington district is home to the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus. Randy Pettapiece is the incumbent.

Ontario's election act states that "every employee who is qualified to vote shall, while the polls are open on polling day at an election, have three consecutive hours for the purpose of voting and, if the hours of his or her employment do not allow for three consecutive hours, the employee may request that his or her employer allow such additional time for voting as may be necessary to provide those three consecutive hours and the employer shall grant the request."

How does that play out in practice? Regular staff whose working hours are 8:30 to 4:30 already have more than three clear hours at the end of the day before the polls close. Night shift staff should have that much time available earlier in the day. But somebody with an odd schedule — starting before 12 noon but working past 6:00 p.m. — would be entitled to extra time off in order to have a three-hour voting window.

Polls are open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

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Profs honoured for graduate supervision

Three professors have been awarded for excellence in graduate supervision at convocation this this week.

The Graduate Studies Office (GSO), in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association (GSA), established the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision to "recognize exemplary faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in graduate student supervision."

The 2013 winners who have been recognized at Spring Convocation are listed below, along with their official award citations:

Professor Jean Andrey, Geography & Environmental Management

"Dr. Jean Andrey demonstrates incredible enthusiasm for all aspects of academic life. Whether it is her research focused on the impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure and operations, her award winning teaching, her service as the President of the Canadian Association of Geographers, or her supervision of graduate students, Dr. Andrey brings energy and passion to everything she does.

Graduate students who have worked with Dr. Andrey praise her for her dedication to bringing out the best in every student, by both nurturing and challenging them intellectually to set a high standard for scholarship. Dr. Andrey gives generously of her time, knowledge, wisdom, and experience to ensure that every student realizes their potential. For a struggling student, Dr. Andrey provides structure, guidance, and encouragement, while for the advanced student she finds opportunities for them to excel. As one of Dr. Andrey’s students noted: “Jean has a special charisma that engages people, makes them feel unique and valued and hence draws out the best in them. What better person to guide our young, aspiring scholars”. Through her boundless energy and dedication to the advising of students in a variety of research projects, Dr. Andrey clearly displays the excellence in graduate supervision that is recognized by this award."

Professor Jennifer Clapp, Environment and Resources Studies

"Dr. Jennifer Clapp of the Environment and Resource Studies Department is widely recognized for her outstanding research accomplishments. In the past two years alone, she has been named as a Canada Research Chair, received a prestigious Trudeau Fellowship, been shortlisted for the Donner Prize for the best book in public policy by a Canadian, and been awarded Tri-Council funding for her work on global food security. Dr. Clapp is also the Associate Dean of Research for the Faculty of Environment. Her exceptional achievements in research are only one aspect of Dr. Clapp’s overall contribution, however.

Graduate students who have the privilege of working with Jennifer Clapp describe her as someone who puts students first, provides insightful, timely and constructive feedback and advice, and develops close mentoring relationships with each one of them. This mentorship begins even before students arrive on campus and extends into the job search and beyond after they graduate; and it is based on the aspirations, needs and talents of individual students. The nomination letters provided for Jennifer Clapp make clear the fact that she supports graduate students in all the usual ways – with reference letters, with funding, and with networking and other professional opportunities. She always offers generous advice and provides continual support towards the success of her students. But what stands out most in these letters are references to Dr. Clapp’s human qualities and the ways in which she exemplifies how “an academic acts ethically and responsibly”. Jennifer is an inspiration for students and colleagues, and is a role model. These are the qualities that make Dr. Jennifer Clapp a deserving winner of the “Excellence in Graduate Supervision Award”."

Professor Stuart McGill, Kinesiology

"Stu’s commitment to his graduate students is perhaps best characterized as a mentor-colleague-friend triumvirate. This relationship starts on the first day in the lab and is ongoing, as students from 30 years ago who are now Full Professors, with long careers of independent mentorship behind them attest to the continued involvement of Stu in their lives as friend, colleague, and mentor.

Stu does not subscribe to a ‘one size fits all’ approach to graduate supervision. Individual accounts of how Stu allowed students to take risks, define their own projects, and develop their own ideas are inspiring. Stu enthusiastically takes on the responsibility to find new and novel ways to challenge and support each individual student. They variously describe his influence as fostering productivity while also exercising stewardship of their careers, conveying not only fundamentals of the area and how to think, but also how to communicate productively and how to be a good colleague. Stu is always quick to promote his students’ talents and to foster connections and collaborations from his extensive network to advance their work and careers.

His commitment to excellence in graduate supervision is especially remarkable considering his other professional commitments. He served as department chair for six years, and is also a much sought after research and clinical lecturer who is often called to venues around the world to share his transformative ideas. His success at being able to provide a stimulating and supportive individualized training experience even under these incredibly challenging conditions is obvious both from the comments of the students, and from the record of their tangible successes and productivity. Many of the student letters include comments that acknowledge extraordinary efforts that Stu has made in order to provide opportunities that have proved to be transformative to their projects, their scholarly development, and their careers."

 

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