The search is on for the Athletics Director

Expressions of interest are being invited for the position of Athletics Director. Bob Copeland resigned from the position in July of last year.

Chris Read, associate provost, students, told the Daily Bulletin that it will be important to make sure that the new hire gives campus leadership in all aspects of recreation on campus.

“We want to make sure we hire the right person, with the right skills for the job,” said Read. “We’ve taken time to consider the skills that we want in an Athletics Director who will lead and evolve the broad campus recreation activities as well as competitive varsity sports.”

Read will lead the search committee for the position which will also feature representation from the athletics and recreational services department, the student community and other Waterloo administrators.

"Our students deserve the best opportunities outside the classroom to enhance their university experience," says Read. "The variety of recreational and competitive sport opportunities enables this and is also crucial in maintaining the health and wellness of our campus community."

Interested individuals should forward expressions of interest to Kevin Smith in Human Resources at kevin.smith@uwaterloo.ca or extension 39304.

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Campus summer camps, collected

It may be spring, but summer is just around the corner, and for the campus community that will mean an influx of bright t-shirt-wearing youngsters participating in the many children's camps and programs that will commence following the Canada Day long weekend.

The Engineering Science Quest camp operates in one-week sessions, with various programming aimed at children entering grades 1 through 9. Camps explore the world of science, engineering and technology through participating in hands-on projects that expose them to various branches of science including physics, chemistry, biology and health science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering.

The programs are organized into camps, which include Banting (for Canadian medical pioneer Frederick Banting), Suzuki (for environmentalist David Suzuki), Newton (for physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton) and Edison (for inventor and light bulb enthusiast Thomas Edison). ESQ's technology camps include Tesla (for electricity pioneer Nicola Tesla) and Payette (for Canadian astronaut Julie Payette). ESQ's grade 3/4 science and technology program, an introduction to technology for younger campers, has been renamed Hawking, for renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. The technology camps are run out of campus computer labs and place a greater emphasis on the use of computers and related technology, such as multimedia editing and electronics. (There's no word on whether the Edison and Tesla camps are official rivals.)

ESQ offers programs on the main Waterloo campus as well as several other locations, including Brantford, Chatham, Orangeville, Owen Sound, and Stratford. The camp also has aboriginal community programs that include Aamjiwnaang, Kettle Point, Nawash and Walpole Island.

For students grades 10 and up, ESQ has established Catalyst, a summer leadership program that draws on the university's strengths in engineering, science, and innovation.

Also in operation this summer is Conrad Grebel's Peace Camp, a weeklong day camp for youth aged 11 to 14 that uses a variety of instructional strategies to "educate and empower youth to work for peace." The program aims to help campers gain knowledge about local and global issues. This year’s theme is Epic Peace: Turning the World Upside Down. "Together, we will play, learn and grow as we examine avenues of peace in our local and global community," says the announcement from the camp. "It is our goal to create awareness of social justice issues and to help youth develop into globally and multiculturally literate citizens."

Campers will enjoy a wide variety of games, sports, field trips, crafts, and peacebuilding skills activities.

The camp runs from Monday, July 28 to Friday, August 1 at Conrad Grebel University College. Registration details are online.

Several other specialized programs are also running in the spring and summer:

• The Ontario Mennonite Music Camp, August 10 to 22 at Conrad Grebel University College, for 12 to 16 year-olds;
• Waterloo's branch of the Canada-wide Shad Valley program for gifted grade 11 and 12 students, a residential program running June 29 to July 25 and hosted by the Centre for Knowledge Integration;
  
• The Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students for grade 11 and 12 students, organized by the Institute for Quantum Computing, from August 11 to August 15; and
  
• the Warrior athletics program also offers summer opportunities for the younger generation.
  

Did I miss any major summer programs? Send me an email and tell me about them.

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Play shines light on dementia research

An innovative play based on dementia research at the University of Waterloo will open at the SpringWorks Theatre Festival in Stratford on Friday.

Cracked: New Light on Dementia follows one woman’s journey from diagnosis to long-term care. The production casts a critical light on society’s view of dementia as an unmitigated tragedy. 

The project is led and produced by Professor Sherry Dupuis of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Waterloo, and the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance. Professor Dupuis is the former director of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP).

Performance dates include:

• Friday, May 9, 12:00 p.m. at St. John's United Church
• Saturday, May 10, 4:00 p.m. at St. John's United Church
• Thursday, May 15, 8:00 p.m. at Factory163

Tickets can be purchased online.

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Keep Thor in Thursday with these notes

The UW Recreation Committee and the Plants and Civilization Society student club are hosting "uWaterloo Blooms" today in the Student Life Centre's Multipurpose Room from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Attendees can bring a garden item to swap or make a donation to the Feds Student Food Bank. Items available at the event include seeds, plants, liquid plant food, storage and sorting bins, cookbooks, and much more. Items for donation can be brought to the Multipurpose Room after 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

Athletics is holding an Open House today for its Campus Recreation programs for the spring 2014 term from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be several representatives from the department available to answer questions about Intramurals, Fitness & Wellness, Conditioning, Aquatics, and more.

Looking ahead:

The main entrance to the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre will be closed for glass repairs on Tuesday, May 13. All other entrances to the building will be open while the repair work is carried out.

Also next Tuesday, Health Services will be closing at 12:00 p.m. for the annual Ontario University and College Health Association conference.

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