Case of measles confirmed on campus

A message from Health Services.

The Region of Waterloo Public Health and the University of Waterloo recently received confirmation of one case of red measles in a student at the University.

The student attended a class held in J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall on Tuesday, February 25 at 10:30 a.m.. The student left the class feeling ill and remained away from campus until fully recovered. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed that the individual had red measles.

No new cases of measles have been reported. This indicates that we have safely passed through the timeframe when the onset of new red measles cases would have occurred as a result of this potential exposure. 

Health Services advise all students, staff and faculty members to check that their immunizations are up-to-date. If you are uncertain whether you are protected please contact your family doctor or Health Services.  Those who are travelling are recommended to ensure their immunization status is up to date since movement through international airports is a risk for exposure to red measles.  

Further information is available on the Health Services website.

 

Back to top

Remembering Barry Wills

Barry Wills, a member of the University of Waterloo's first graduating class of engineers and one of Waterloo's longest-serving faculty members, died March 18 at the age of 74.

Wills was an associate professor in systems design engineering, and retired in August 2006 after 42 years with the Faculty of Engineering.

At the time of his retirement, Wills actually had 48 years of connection to the university under his belt: he arrived as an undergraduate student in January 1958, and graduated in July 1962 with the first class of Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) recipients, along with future Waterloo faculty members Bruce Hutchinson, Jack Kruuv, Bill Lennox, and John Roorda, who had arrived on campus either in early 1958 or with the original first class in July 1957.

Wills completed an academic hat trick at Waterloo, completing all three of his degrees ('62, '63, '68) here, in electrical engineering. He pursued his master's degree under the supervision of Basil Myers, the first head of electrical engineering, and did his PhD under the supervision of Peter Roe.

After he completed his master's degree, he signed on as a demonstrator in the in the Faculty of Engineering in 1964 and became an assistant professor in 1968, joining the newly-formed department of Systems Design Engineering. Wills was a specialist in systems modelling and simulation, and became deeply involved in the use of computer-aided learning technologies and in engineering education.

As associate dean of engineering for computing in the 1980s, he set up the first fully-equipped computing labs for students in engineering. He also helped establish the Engineering Education Research Centre to improve Waterloo engineering education through the use of technology. In the top photo, taken in 1986, Wills (standing, right) and Paul McKone are pictured in the education research centre, while students work in the background.

He coordinated the fourth-year systems design workshop for many years, and taught many of the courses. He also helped organize the original Shad Valley summer program for high school students in 1982. He served on numerous university committees and was Systems Design Engineering's associate chair for undergraduate and graduate affairs.

Wills was also an accomplished jazz pianist, having paid his way through university by playing gigs with a number of bands. He could be heard quite frequently in noon-hour jazz recitals in the chapel of Conrad Grebel College. He would often urge his students to take time out from their engineering classes to attend concerts or check out art shows.

As per his wishes, there will be no public visitation or services.

He is survived by his spouse Renée and daughter Lee-Ann.

 

Back to top

Waterloo startup Piinpoint joins Y Combinator

PiinPoint, a location analytics startup, has become the latest company from University of Waterloo incubator Velocity, to participate in the Y Combinator accelerator program in Silicon Valley.

The startup was one of four $25,000 winners at the Velocity Fund Finals in November.

Co-founders Jim Robeson and Adam Saunders set up offices at Velocity in Kitchener, Ontario in January, and moved to Mountain View, California soon after to participate in Y Combinator. They plan to return to Velocity in April.

PiinPoint is the seventh company from Velocity to participate in the Silicon Valley-based accelerator to rapidly develop their business.

“Y Combinator is widely accepted as the world’s leading technology accelerator and we are extremely proud that great startups like PiinPoint are building on their Velocity experience in Silicon Valley,” said Mike Kirkup, director of Velocity. “There is a special connection between Waterloo and Silicon Valley. The fact that PiinPoint is the seventh in a line of Velocity companies to be accepted to Y Combinator shows that something really exciting is happening here.”

Michael Arrington, editor of the popular TechCrunch website, said that Y Combinator “captures the essence of Silicon Valley”. Twice a year, Y Combinator invests in startup companies that move to Silicon Valley for three months where Y Combinator partners help participants prepare their companies and refine their pitches to investors.

Each cycle culminates in Demo Day, when the startups present their business plans to an investor audience. PiinPoint is set to pitch at the Y Combinator Demo Day on March 25.

Robeson is a graduate of Waterloo’s Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program at the Conrad Centre. Saunders is a current student in the Faculty of Environment.

Previous Velocity startups to participate in Y Combinator include reebee, Thalmic Labs, BufferBox, Couple, Vidyard and Pebble.

Startup incubator Velocity provides University of Waterloo students with opportunities for funding, free workspace, workshops, networking opportunities and access to mentors. Velocity takes no intellectual property rights or equity in return.

 

Back to top

Waterloo in top 15 at CODE hackathon

A team of programmers that includes a University of Waterloo student has made it to the Top 15 finallists in the CODE hackathon.

Team Electric Sheep consists of Carlos Saavedra, a Master of Digital Experience Innovation (MDEI) student at the university's Stratford Campus, and Jason Ernst, a PhD candidate at the University of Guelph. Their app, built to use the Government of Canada's open data, is called NewRoots, which "matches new Canadians with cities that will give them the greatest opportunity to maximize their potential and be successful, productive citizens of Canada."

The top 15 teams and their apps are battling for a Fan Favourite Prize, worth $1,000 and based on public voting that started on March 21, and the Grand Finale on March 28, which will decide the overall hackathon winner. To vote for the best app, check out this list of finallists.

At the finale in Toronto, Finallists will present their apps to a panel that includes the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and official CODE event facilitator, Mark Barrenechea, president and CEO of OpenText, Robert Herjavec, CEO of the Herjavec Group and of Dragon's Den and Shark Tank fame, Gerri Sinclair, strategic innovation consultant and head of The Gerri Sinclair Group, and Mohamed Lachemi, provost and vice president academic at Ryerson University.

Two other teams in the Top 15, Spitballz and DemoFirst, also have roots in Waterloo Region.

The CODE (for Canadian Open Data Experience) hackathon was a 48-hour hackathon hosted by XMG Studio Inc.. Contestants competed to solve problems and increase productivity by developing consumer-friendly applications using Government of Canada Open Data.

 

Back to top

Wednesday's notes

The Philosophy Graduate Student Association (PGSA) is holding their 21st Annual Philosophy Graduate Student Conference on March 27 and March 28. The keynote speaker will be James Dreier, Brown University at 3:30 p.m. in HH 334. The Philosophy events page has more information about the two-day event.

The Velocity Fund Finals take place tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's great hall. There will be boxed lunches for the first 100 attendees, so register now.

"After 30+ years of service Doug Campbell is retiring on March 31," writes Neil Stewart. "Come celebrate with Doug on Wednesday, March 26 at 4:15 p.m. at Wild Wing, 321 Weber St. N, Waterloo. Drop in and wish Doug all the best on his retirement." Contact Neil Stewart at extension 33850 for more information.

While we're on the subject of retirements, here's another one to mark in your calendars. Pam Van Allen of the Dean of Science office is retiring after 44 years at the university. Friends and colleagues are invited to a retirement celebration on April 9 at 3:30 p.m. at the University Club. Please RSVP to Lisa Weber via email or by calling extension 32062 by Friday, April 4.

Here's today's Nutrition Month "myth vs. fact" provided by Health Services dietician Sandra Ace:

Myth: Light olive oil is lower in calories.

Fact: “Light” olive oil is light in flavour and colour, however it contains the same calories as any other oil. Plant oils are part of a healthy diet and all have around 120 calories per tablespoon/15 ml. Oils vary slightly in flavor and contain different proportions of mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated and saturated fats. Because fats and oils are concentrated in calories, use them sparingly; being too generous with any oil can add extra calories to your diet.

 

Back to top