Friday February 5, 2021

Friday, February 5, 2021

Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

The inside scoop on Four All Ice Cream

Ajoa Mintah stands inside the Four All Ice Cream shop.

By Ryan Antooa. This article was originally published inݮƵ Magazine.

Ajoa Mintah (BASc ’01) has always had a force driving her forward in her life and career. “Part of what I tell myself is that I can do anything and everything, even when I’m at a disadvantage.”

From an early age, Mintah’s mother told her that, as a Black woman, she would have to work three times harder than her peers. She also gave Mintah advice that would serve her throughout her career: “Never say no to yourself.”

After working as a chemical engineer for more than a decade, Mintah approached a crossroads. "I got to a point with my work where I hit a ceiling. I knew I wouldn’t be able to break through as a Black woman. So, I had a choice to make. Am I going to work for someone else and keep trying to break through or build my own house?

“The biggest question I had for myself was, ‘What’s stopping me from doing this?’ I realized I didn’t have to play by someone’s arbitrary rules in my career.”

Mintah’s love for homemade ice cream began during a heat wave when she bought an ice-cream maker instead of an air conditioner. She founded Four All Ice Cream in 2016 and is committed to sourcing local, sustainable and healthy ingredients. Four All’s ice cream factory is in the old Bonnie Stuart shoe factory on Whitney Place in Kitchener. There is also a Four All ice cream shop in Uptown ݮƵ.

Process is everything

What may look like a dramatic career change, was actually change set in motion during her undergraduate degree. For Mintah the through-line for her career has always been process.

“I’m a chemical engineer – we design processes for how things are made. It can be applied to everything.”

“Even with Four All, people wanted to know about flavours and I was more concerned with the how of each and every process behind taking raw ingredients and creating something great.”

Problem-solving and creating processes are skillsets Mintah says she learned in ݮƵ’s chemical engineering program and during co-operative education jobs. "Every co-op experience let me design, describe, document and develop processes, which was crucial for success in my corporate career and for Four All," says Mintah. Even with Four All, people wanted to know about flavours and I was more concerned with the how of each and every process behind taking raw ingredients and creating something great."

Read the rest of the article in ݮƵ Magazine.

University Professor Ming Li receives lifetime achievement award

Professor Ming Li sits in front of a laptop.

This article was originally published on.

University Professorhas received the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in Computer Science from CS-Can|Info-Can, the non-profit professional society dedicated to representing all aspects of computer science and the interests of the discipline across the nation. Conferred annually since 2014, the prestigious lifetime achievement award recognizes faculty members in departments, schools and faculties of computer science who have made outstanding and sustained achievement in research, teaching and service.

“On behalf of CS-Can|Info-Can, it is my great pleasure to inform you that you have been awarded a 2020 CS-Can|Info-Can Lifetime Achievement Award in Computer Science,” wrote Kelly Lyons, Chair of the 2020 CS-Can|Info-Can Awards Committee in her letter. “Congratulations on this tremendous recognition by your computer science peers in Canada.”

University Professor Ming Li in the Davis Centre with a textbook.

University Professor Ming Li, the Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics, is known for his fundamental contributions to Kolmogorov complexity, bioinformatics, machine learning theory, and analysis of algorithms.

“Congratulations to Ming,” said Raouf Boutaba, Professor and Director of the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. “Ming is a pioneer in Kolmogorov complexity, which has laid the foundation for a modern information theory. He is also a pioneer in computational biology, having introduced both algorithmic ideas into the field as well as demonstrated how computer scientists can contribute to real-word problems from protein sequencing to develop novel treatments for cancer to analyzing DNA sequencing data for studies in evolutionary biology.”

University Professor Li is the eighth faculty member in the Cheriton School of Computer Science to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from CS-Can|Info-Can. Previous recipients are University Professor M. Tamer Özsu (), Distinguished Professor Emeritus Don Cowan (), Professor Emeritus Ric Holt (), Distinguished Professor Emeritus Janusz Brzozowski (), University Professor J. Ian Munro (), Distinguished Professor Emeritus Alan George (), and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Frank Tompa ().

About University Professor Ming Li

University Professor Li completed his PhD at Cornell University in 1985, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard. In 1988 he joined what was then the Department of Computer Science at the University of ݮƵ.

University Professor Li received the prestigiousin 1996. He was named aUniversity Professorby the University of ݮƵ in 2009 and won thein 2010 for his contributions in computer science. He is the, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, and Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

University Professor Li has contributed significantly to developing a modern information theory and in shaping the field of computational biology. We live in an information society, but what exactly is information? Does a theory govern information-carrying entities similar to what Newtonian mechanics governs in classical physics? The answer is yes, and it is called Kolmogorov complexity — a field that University Professor Li and his colleagues introduced to computer science and have extended to many other fields.

Kolmogorov complexity and its applications

Kolmogorov complexity provides a universal measure of information, information content, and randomness. University Professor Li and his colleagues have extended Kolmogorov complexity to two sequences that leads to a universal metric of information distance. They have also connected information to thermodynamics and computed the ultimate thermodynamics cost of creating or erasing a sequence. This has led to zero-shot learning — a problemwidely studied in computer vision, natural language processing and machine perception in which, at test stage, a learner recognizes objects from classes not previously seen at a training stage.

Finding the mental health balance at long-term care facilities

A support worker helps an LTC resident use a smart phone.

This article was originally published onݮƵ News.

In a study of seven long-term care facilities in New Brunswick, clinical information systems that tracked changes in residents’ status through the lockdowns were found to be crucial in helping homes make decisions over resource deployment.

The homes in New Brunswick successfully used these systems to help keep residents engaged, saidJohn Hirdes, the principal investigator of the study and a professor in theSchool of Public Health and Health Systemsat the University of ݮƵ. “They brought in new staff and programs and showed that you can do a good job in terms of mental health during lockdown.”

The strategies used by the homes included window visits and video chats, which were supported by the New Brunswick government through the distribution of iPads. One home hired students to facilitate virtual calls and engage in virtual one-on-one visits with residents. Students were also hired to increase recreation activities within the homes during lockdowns.

Now, as governments continue to weigh restrictions at long-term care facilities, Hirdes said policy makers can use the associated clinical information systems’ outputs to guide resource deployment, and health-service researchers can examine the data to identify better management strategies for when a pandemic strikes again.

“A balance needs to be struck between quality of life and the riskto physical health,” Hirdes said. “When you have large numbers of visitors from the general community, just one asymptomatic person can wreak havoc. These are hard decisions, and this is where clinical information systems are helpful.”

The researchers studied data from seven francophone long-term care homes in the province using a standardized assessment called the interRAI long-term care facility (LTCF) assessment, used by more than 30 countries to inform clinical care and evaluate the effect of strategies geared at improving mental health outcomes. The team reviewed 4,209 assessments from 765 residents between January 2017 and June 2020 and modeled the changes in depression, delirium and behavioural problems over time.

“However, the facilities were not experiencing deaths and COVID-19 cases like in Ontario and Quebec, which would complicate how mitigating strategies are deployed,” Hirdes said.

In the seven homes that were studied In New Brunswick, mental health conditions such as depression, delirium and disruptive behaviour stayed the same, and in some cases, those behaviours even decreased.

“Even though in-person visits with family decreased from 73 per cent to 18 per cent during lockdown, the percentage of residents who experienced depression, delirium and behavioural problems did not increase,” Hirdes said.

In the case of residents with dementia, delirium rates experienced a decrease, possibly because there was less noise and movement in the facility. However, those without dementia had slightly higher rates.

“This study shows that thoughtful use of mitigating strategies and clinical information systems like the interRAI LTCF can help stabilize or improve mental health in long-term care homes, even during a lockdown,” Hirdes said.

The study, “,” was published in JAMDA and authored by Caitlin McArthur, Margaret Saari, George Heckman, Nathalie Wellens, Julie Weir, Paul Hebert, Luke Turcotte, Jalila Jbilou and John Hirdes.

Friday's notes

Map the System graphic.

The Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement'sregistration deadline is Sunday, February 7at 11:59 p.m.

This competition asks studentsto select a social or environmental issue and to explore, probe, and research all the connecting elements and factors around it..

Writing and Communication Centre gift card banner.

"Do you want to earn a $5 Tim Horton’s gift card for your opinion?"asks the Writing and Communication Centre (WCC)."The WCC is looking to speak to students who have and have never used our services. We would be grateful if you could spare 45 to 60 minutes of your time to participate in an online focus group and give us your feedback."

If you are interested,sign uponline.Sessions will take place on MS Teams between February 22 and February 26, 2021. The deadline to sign up is February 19 at 11:59 p.m.

Beyond the Bulletin Podcast Episode 76

Beyond the Bulletin banner featuring two vintage microphones.

The latest episode of the Beyond the Bulletin podcast.Roderick Slavcev, a professor in ݮƵ’s School of Pharmacy who is cross-appointed to chemical engineering, discusses his team’s development of a nasal-spray vaccine for COVID-19, and tells us why this is a revolutionary time for science. As Bell Let’s Talk Day combats stigma around mental illness, we tell you about a student and an alumnus who got help. The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging received $2 million to lead two national projects on dementia. And a study warns that flip-flops can make you flip.

Linkof the day

When and Where to get support

Studentscan visit theStudent Success Officeonline for supports including academic development, international student resources, leadership development, exchange and study abroad, and opportunities to get involved.

Instructorscan visit theKeep Learning websiteto get support on adapting their teaching and learning plans for an online environment.

UpdatedCourse templatesare now available within your course in LEARN to help you build and edit your content and assignment pages quickly.Support for Winter 2021is available.

The following workshops, webinars, and events are offered by the KL team (CTE, CEL, ITMS, LIB):

Independent Remote Course Design Essentials. Self-directed, continuous self-enrollmentcourse in LEARN.

Getting Ready to Facilitate Online Courses: TA Training,Monday, January 18, 2021,8:30 a.m.to Friday, February 12, 4:30 p.m.

Introduction to Bongo Video Assignment (Technical Session),Friday, February 5, 1:00 p.m. to2:00 p.m.

NEW -Learning from Our Remote Teaching Experiences (CTE7009),Tuesday, February 23, 1:00 p.m.to 2:30 p.m.

NEW -Introduction to Assessments in PebblePad (ATLAS) (CTE7512),Monday, March 8,2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Employeescanto help them work remotely, includingmanaging University records and privacy of personal information.Here are sometips for staying healthywhile working from home.

Stay informedabout COVID cases on campus byconsulting the COVID case tracker.

Whether you’re a student or faculty member, theWriting and Communication Centrehas virtual services and programs to help you with all of your academic writing needs. This term we have added evening and weekend one-to-one appointments with our peer tutors, and ourNEWone-to-one workshops, where you can learn the content directly from one of our writing advisors.

  • Undergraduates:Work with us to brainstorm, draft, revise, and polish your assignments in one-to-one appointments. Ask questions and learn writing tips at our Instagram Live Q&A sessions, and beat isolation while improving your writing skills at the weekly PJ-friendly writing groups.
  • Graduates:Meet with our advisors in one-to-one appointments. Join the online writing community at the Virtual Writing Cafés, learn how to present your work at Speak Like a Scholar, or get moving on your dissertation at Dissertation Boot Camp.
  • Faculty and Instructors:Request custom workshops for your courses, join the ݮƵ writing community at the Virtual Writing Cafés, or make progress on your article, book, or chapter in one-to-one meetings with our faculty specialist.

We understand that these circumstances can be troubling, and you may need to speak with someone for emotional support.Good2Talkis a post-secondary student helpline based in Ontario, Canada that is available to all students.If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, please contact theUniversity’s Campus Wellness services, eitherHealth Servicesor Counselling Services. You can also contact the University'sCentre for Mental Health Research and Treatment.

The Libraryhasonhow to avoid information overload.

TheFaculty Association of the University of ݮƵ (FAUW)continues to advocate for its members.for more information.

TheUniversity of ݮƵ Staff Association (UWSA)continues to advocate for its members.Check out the UWSA blogfor more information.

TheIndigenous Initiatives Officeis a central hub that provides guidance, support, and resources to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous campus community members and oversees the university Indigenization strategy.

WUSA supports for students:

Peer support(Visitto book an appointment):

  • MATES– Available Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday andSunday,10:30 a.m. to5:30 p.m. (online only)
    • Support sessions available in the following languages: Cantonese, English, Hindi, Mandarin, Portuguese,Punjabi, Spanish, and Urdu.
  • Glow Centre– Available Monday to Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (online only)
  • RAISE– Available Monday toFriday – Varied hours (online only)
  • Women’s Centre– Available Monday toFriday,2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (online only)

Bike Centre– Will be reopening soon. Checkfor current operating times.

Campus Response Team, ICSN, Off Campus Community and Co-op Connectionall available online. Checkfor more details.

food hampersare currently available from the Turnkey Desk on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.in the ݮƵ Centre. If you have any questions please email us atfoodsupport@wusa.ca.

Centre for Academic Policy Support-CAPS is here to assistݮƵ undergraduates throughout their experience in navigating academic policy in the instances of filing petitions, grievances and appeals. Please contact them atcaps@wusa.ca. More information at.

WUSA Commissionerswho can help in a variety of areas that students may be experiencing during this time:

-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 call1-833-202-4571.

is a confidential mental health and wellness service that connects students with qualified counsellors 24/7. They can be reached at1-833-628-5589.

When and Where (but mostly when)

.Free programming including Online Fitness, Health Webinars, Personalized Nutrition and more from Warriors Athletics and Rec. Open to students, staff, faculty and alumni..

continues to offervirtual events and workshopsto help students practice their English language skills.

Warriors vs. LaurierBloodDonation Battle. Join your fellow Warriors, donatebloodand help us win theBloodBattle against Laurier for a second year in a row.or add the PFL code: UNIV960995 to your account if you have ablood.ca account already. Questions? ContactWarriorsInfo@uwaterloo.ca.

,January to February.Wide range of free opportunities available to keep students active and healthy including:,,,,and..

Drop-in toWarrior Virtual Study Hallson Wednesdays from5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Come together in this virtual space to set goals and work independently or in groups each week.

,January 20 toFebruary 20. Support your Warriors varsity teams by purchasing a pre-setbox filled with the best quality locally sourced meat and fish..

,Monday, February 1 to Sunday, February7. Join your fellow Warriors for free online HIIT Classes, Esports Tournament and hair cutting as we create awareness andfor the Breast Cancer Cause at the Canadian Cancer Society..

Virtual Writing Café, Friday, February 5, 8:00 p.m.

Intellectual Property Presentation Series - IP101 & Commercialization,Friday, February 5, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., virtual event through WebEx,register today.

Managing Personal Wellness in a Global Pandemic: Breaking Free From Low Mood, Tuesday, February 9, 10:00 a.m.

Managing Personal Wellness in a Global Pandemic: Motivating Yourself Through Habit Change, Tuesday, February 9, 2:00 p.m.

English Conversation Circles, Tuesday, February 9, 3:00 p.m.

, Tuesday, February 9, 5:30 p.m., virtual event.