Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
[email protected]
A message from Human Resources.
As we approach the holiday season, many of us are looking forward to festive gatherings for the first time after two years of uncertain plans. And while it can be “the most wonderful time of the year” for many, it’s also a time when stress levels soar, and emotional strain can take its toll upon us with many stressors making the holiday season anything but merry. When you are struggling, it can be a time of overwhelming emotions, new challenges, and possibly unrealistic expectations from family and friends.
If you find yourself stressed and anxious as we approach or during the winter break, remember that Homewood Health, your Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), is available to assist you through its new digital platform, Pathfinder. This service is an enhanced, future forward online experience that aligns your reason for accessing the program, the severity of your concern, level of risk and your care preferences to offer you the right service or resource at the right time that can be accessed 24/7/365. Pathfinder develops a curated care path and service recommendations based on your individual needs and preferences.
You and your eligible dependants can access Homewood Pathfinder by either logging in with an existing Homeweb account or by creating an account on Homeweb.ca using the invitation code for the University of Waterloo. The invitation code is: UAL823. When creating an account, Homewood will ask you to provide the following:
These services are offered at no cost to you and is completely confidential. Explore how to access Pathfinder and learn more about its features.
No matter how you celebrate this festive time, the University of Waterloo wishes you and your family a safe and enjoyable winter break.
Questions? Please review the EFAP benefit website or contact [email protected] for more information.
The Vice-President, Academic & Provost is inviting expressions of interest for two associate vice-president positions. Both positions have a January 2023 start date for a five-year term.
“The AVP, Academic Operations will be accountable for advancing the University’s academic mission by fostering relationships in alignment with the academic priorities and plans for the University,” the provost’s memo says. “The AVP, Academic Operations will provide oversight for understanding the physical infrastructure and capital planning needs of Faculties, Waterloo’s campuses, and partnered institutions, and will ensure coordination across all sites. The incumbent will also work closely with the Associate Provost, Integrated Planning and Budgeting and other senior University leadership to coordinate related budget processes and needs.”
This position is open to current tenured University of Waterloo faculty with considerable leadership experience in academic administration roles. The role requires a depth of knowledge and understanding of University operations and related policies, exceptional facilitation, communication, and relationship management skills, and will be able to lead teams to support coordination across multiple stakeholders.
“The AVP, Faculty Planning and Policy holds an important leadership role with responsibilities for processes and practices related to faculty, and the distinctive elements of the faculty lifecycle at the University of Waterloo,” the provost writes. “The incumbent will provide ongoing advice, support, and direction on annual and in-year changes to Faculty Hiring Plans and issues arising from challenges and opportunities. As part of this role, the incumbent will work with the Deans and key academic leaders as they prepare academic plans, including strategic hiring plans.”
This position is open to current tenured University of Waterloo faculty with considerable leadership experience in academic administration roles. Given this is an important leadership position working with Faculties, Departments, and many other academic and non-academic units and other individuals, the role requires a depth of understanding in faculty-related policies and practices. The AVP will have knowledge of the faculty lifecycle, exceptional facilitation and communication skills, and will provide quality advice and support in a manner that facilitates positive relationships with and among faculty, University administrators, and the community.
Expressions of interest outlining how the applicant’s experience and interests align to the positions’ requirements are requested by December 19, 2022, via email to [email protected]. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Jenny Flagler-George, Director, Strategic Initiatives via email at [email protected] if you have any questions or inquiries.
Engineering researchers followed their curiosity and called on nature to inspire a new urinal that solves the messy problem of splash-back.
The long, sleek design all but eliminates splatter on floors and shoes by ensuring the angle at which a urine stream hits the urinal wall doesn’t exceed about 30 degrees, a measurement determined via physical experiments and computer modelling.
“We found that when a liquid jet or droplet train impacts a rigid surface below a certain critical impinging angle, almost no splatter is generated,” the researchers concluded. “Thus, a surface designed to always intersect the urine stream equal to or smaller than the critical angle prevents splash-back.”
Conducted over the course of several years by a team of professors and students at the University of Waterloo and Weber State University in Utah, the research was presented at a recent American Physical Society conference in Indianapolis.
Inspiration for the new urinal design came from the way dogs lift their hind legs to urinate against trees, a behaviour that instinctively minimizes the impact angle, and the curving structure of nautilus shells.
The result is a “splash-free urinal” with a special narrow opening and a curved inner surface designed to prevent droplets from flying out regardless of how tall the user is or where they aim.
“The idea for this project truly originated – well, exactly where you think it did,” said Dr. Zhao Pan, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering and director of the Pan-Lab for fluid physics at Waterloo. “When you study fluid behavior all day, you can’t help but wonder about these everyday scenarios. The fun part is that we are solving a real-world problem affecting 50 per cent of humans.”
The project involved tests with jets of coloured fluids at different speeds and heights with five urinals, including a widely used North American urinal, a replica of a famous sculpture by modern artist Marcel Duchamp and three original designs.
Their effectiveness was measured by wiping the splattered mess with a paper towel after each experiment and weighing it to determine the mass of liquid picked up.
“Our new urinal designs will keep bathrooms cleaner and reduce the labor, water, and chemicals required for periodic cleaning to promote more sustainable bathroom maintenance,” the researchers wrote.
The team also included Waterloo students Kaveeshan Thurairajah, Mabel Song and JD Zhu, and Dr. Randy Hurd and student Ethan Barlow of Weber State.
A message from Transformative Quantum Technologies.
The Canadian Graduate Quantum Conference (CGQC) will take place January 24, 25, and 26, 2023, hosted at the University of Waterloo and supported by Waterloo’s Transformative Quantum Technologies, Institut Quantique at the Université de Sherbrooke (USherbrooke) and the Stewart Blussom Quantum Matter Institute at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The conference is free for UBC, UWaterloo, and USherbrooke students. This includes registration, hotel accommodation (if needed), all food, and social events.
Consisting of three days of academic keynote speakers, industry panels, and student presentations, CGQC aims to connect Canadian graduate students with each other across institutions to foster research collaboration, cross-pollination of ideas, and connections. Activities will also include poster presentations, social events and a banquet dinner.
For any questions, feel free to reach out to registration@cgqc.org. The registration deadline is January 5, 2023.
With snow on the ground (and more forecast for later this week), now is a perfect opportunity to review the University’s Weather Closing Guidelines before the streets and walkways on campus become fully covered in ice and snow for the season.
According to the weather closing guidelines, the University and the affiliated and federated institutions of Waterloo will close “because of severe weather when normal operation would pose a significant danger to students and employees, or would prevent large numbers of them from coming to campus or returning safely to their homes.”
The decision to close or remain open in severe weather is usually made by the Vice-President, Academic & Provost in consultation with the Director of the Special Constable Service, the Associate Vice-President, Communications, and the Executive Director of Plant Operations. The Provost and the team of advisors meet to consider the conditions whenever severe weather is in the forecast and the team also seeks a wealth of information in order to inform the difficult decision of whether it is safe to open campus.
The advisory team evaluates:
The guidelines define the condition of “closed” to mean that “classes are not held; meetings and other scheduled events are cancelled; scheduled examinations are cancelled, to be rescheduled; deadlines for assignments and other submissions are postponed until the same hour on the next business day on which UW is not “closed”; staff, other than those providing “essential services,” are not expected to be at work, but are paid for a normal day.”
For the most part it is safe to assume that the University’s default status is “open” unless messaging indicates otherwise.
Notice of the University’s status will be posted on days where severe weather is forecast, normally at 6:00 a.m., to allow faculty, staff and students time to decide their course of action that day. As the guidelines indicate, “those who judge that it may be unsafe to come to campus should discuss alternate work and study arrangements with their instructor or supervisor.”
In the event of severe weather that warrants a closure, all members of the University community should consult the University’s homepage and Twitter feed, consult Portal, check the WatSAFE app, tune in to a local radio station, check local media websites or call the University’s Infoline (1-866-470-0910) to learn whether or not the University has closed.
The University also maintains a dedicated weather statement page with Environment Canada weather notices for the region and safety tips that will be updated in the event of severe weather.
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) will be closed on Thursday, December 15 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a staff event.
50 years after Apollo 17, the moon beckons
Students can visit the Student Success Office online for supports including academic development, international student resources, immigration consulting, leadership development, exchange and study abroad, and opportunities to get involved.
Instructors looking for targeted support for developing online components for blended learning courses, transitioning remote to fully online courses, revising current online courses, and more please visit Agile Development | Centre for Extended Learning | University of Waterloo (uwaterloo.ca).
Faculty, staff, post-doc and graduate student instructors can find upcoming teaching and learning workshops, self-directed modules and recordings of previous events on Centre for Teaching Excellence Workshops and Events page.
Instructors can access the EdTech Hub to find support on Waterloo’s centrally supported EdTech tools. The Hub is supported by members of IST’s Instructional Technologies and Media Services, Centre for Teaching Excellence, Centre for Extended Learning and subject matter experts from other campus areas.
Supports are available for employees returning to campus. Visit IST’s Hybrid Work and Technology guidelines and workplace protocols to assist with the transition.
Students with permanent, temporary and suspected disabilities and disabling conditions (medical conditions, injuries, or trauma from discrimination, violence, or oppression) can register with AccessAbility Services for academic accommodations (classroom accommodations, testing accommodations, milestone accommodations).
Instructors can visit AccessAbility Services' Faculty and Staff web page for information about the Instructor/Faculty role in the accommodation process. Instructors/Faculty members are legally required to accommodate students with disabilities. AccessAbility Services (AAS) is here to help you understand your obligations, and to offer services and resources to help you facilitate accommodations.
The Writing and Communication Centre has in-person and virtual services to support grad and undergrad students, postdocs and faculty with any writing or communication project. Services include one-to-one appointments, drop-ins at Dana Porter Library, online workshops, writing groups, English conversation practice, and custom in-class workshops.
Research Ethics: Find yourself with an ethical question, unsure if your work requires an ethics review, or need advice about putting together a research ethics application? Reach out to one of our friendly staff by booking a consultation or email us with your questions.
Co-op students can get help finding a job and find supports to successfully work remotely, develop new skills, access wellness and career information, and contact a co-op or career advisor.
The Centre for Career Action (CCA) has services and programs to support undergrads, grad students, postdocs, alumni, and employees in figuring out what they value, what they’re good at, and how to access meaningful work, co-op, volunteer, or graduate/professional school opportunities. Questions about CCA's services? Live chat, call 519-888-4047, or stop by our front desk in the Tatham Centre 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Drop-in to in-person Warrior Study Halls on Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in DC and DP. Join a Peer Success Coach to set goals and work independently or in groups each week.
Renison's English Language Institute continues to offer virtual events and workshops to help students practice their English language skills.
If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, please contact the University’s Campus Wellness services, either Health Services or Counselling Services. You can also contact the University's Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment. Good2Talk is a post-secondary student helpline available to all students.
The Library is here to help, both in person and online. Our spaces are open for access to book stacks, study space, computers and printers, and the IST Help Desk. For in-depth support, meet one-to-one with Librarians, Special Collections & Archives and Geospatial Centre staff. Access our resources online for anywhere, anytime learning and research. Full details on current services and hours are available on the Library’s COVID-19 Update webpage.
The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the FAUW blog for more information.
The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the UWSA blog for more information.
The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism (EDI-R) works with students, faculty and staff across campus to advance equity and Anti-racism through evidence-based policies, practices and programs. If you have a concern related to Anti-racism and/or equity, please complete our intake form.
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) supports all members of the University of Waterloo campus community who have experienced, or been impacted, by sexual violence. This includes all students, staff, faculty and visitors on the main campus, the satellite campuses, and at the affiliated and federated Waterloo Institutes and Colleges. For support, email: [email protected] or visit the SVPRO website.
The Office of Indigenous Relations is a central hub that provides guidance, support, and resources to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous campus community members and oversees the University's Indigenization strategy.
The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, based at United College, provides support and resources for Indigenous students, and educational outreach programs for the broader community, including lectures, and events.
WUSA supports for students:
Peer support – MATES, Glow Centre, RAISE, Women’s Centre – Click on one of the links to book an appointment either in person or online for the term.
Food Support Service food hampers are currently available from the Turnkey Desk 24/7 in the Student Life Centre. Drop-off locations are also open again in SLC, DC, DP, SCH, and all residences.
Co-op Connection all available online.
Centre for Academic Policy Support – CAPS is here to assist Waterloo undergraduates throughout their experience in navigating academic policy in the instances of filing petitions, grievances and appeals. Please contact them at [email protected].
WUSA Student Legal Protection Program – Seeking legal counsel can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time facing a legal issue. The legal assistance helpline provides quick access to legal advice in any area of law, including criminal. Just call 1-833-202-4571.
Empower Me is a confidential mental health and wellness service that connects students with qualified counsellors 24/7. They can be reached at 1-833-628-5589.
GSA-UW supports for graduate students:
The Graduate Student Association (GSA-UW) supports students’ academic and social experience and promotes their well-being.
Advising and Support – The GSA advises graduate students experiencing challenges and can help with navigating university policies & filing a grievance, appeal, or petition.
Mental Health covered by the Health Plan – The GSA Health Plan now has an 80 per cent coverage rate (up to $800/year) for Mental Health Practitioners. Your plan includes coverage for psychologists, registered social workers, psychotherapists, and clinical counselors.
Dental Care – The GSA Dental Plan covers 60 to 70 per cent of your dental costs and by visiting dental professionals who are members of the Studentcare Networks, you can receive an additional 20 to 30 per cent coverage.
Student Legal Protection Program – Your GSA fees give you access to unlimited legal advice, accessible via a toll-free helpline: +1-833-202-4571. This advice covers topics including housing disputes, employment disputes, and disputes with an academic institution.
The Graduate House: Open Monday to Tuesday 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. We’re open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. The Graduate House is a community space run by the GSA-UW. We’re adding new items to the menu. Graduate students who paid their fees can get discounts and free coffee.
Warriors vs. Laurier Blood Donation Battle. Join our “Waterloo Warriors” team on the Blood.ca website or app. #ItsInYouToGive
Warriors Game Day Tickets and Season Passes, on sale now. Cheer on your Warriors W/M Basketball, Football W/M Hockey and W/M Volleyball teams at home during the 2022-23 season. Purchase today.
Free Staff Workouts, Tuesdays and Thursdays until December 22, 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Bootcamp-style classes in the CIF Field House and PAC. Open to all staff and supported by the Staff Excellence Fund. Find out more/register now.
Flu shots available at Student Health Pharmacy, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., dial ext. 33784 for info.
Fall 2022 examination period, Friday, December 9 to Friday, December 23.
Jo Voisin retirement celebration, Wednesday, December 14, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., DC 1301 fishbowl.
Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Information Session Thursday December 15, 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., Zoom. Registration required.
Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology and Health Initiatives presents Dr. Alan J. Forster, ‘Innovation at the Ottawa Hospital,’ Friday, December 16, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, DC 1302. Register.
On this week's list from the human resources department, viewable on the UWaterloo Talent Acquisition System (iCIMS):
Secondments/Internal temporary opportunities
Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo opportunities
https://uwaterloo.ca/careers/other-opportunities
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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Office of Indigenous Relations.
