Monday, August 30, 2021

Monday, August 30, 2021

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Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

Fall Orientation begins today

A number of Orientation volunteers in a group video call

ݮƵOrientationwill be offered virtuallyfornew undergraduatestudentsbeginning today and running until Friday September 3, 2021.

New students will join a network of current students, alumni, professors,and staff, with virtual activities planned to help newcomersfeel right at home. During Orientation, new students will have the opportunity to connect with their future classmates, experience the unique traditions of UݮƵ and their specific faculty, become immersed in the University and community culture, and hear more about what ݮƵ has to offer both on and off-campus.

As a faculty or staff member, youhave the opportunity to help incoming students feel a sense of belonging. Creating a strong sense of communityfor our newstudentsmakes their transition easier and sets them up for success throughout their academic experience at ݮƵ. ճHere to Help programis available to help you help support new student transition. From Tuesday, September 7 to Friday, September 10, faculty, staff, and student volunteers are encouraged towear aHere to Helpsticker.Wearing a sticker symbolizes yourknowledge of campus amenities, awareness of student resources, and your willingness to help a student if they need assistance. You can pick up your sticker from a number of wayfinding booths across campus.

Fall Orientation is a shared partnership between the, theStudent Success Office (SSO), and the University's six faculties.

Check out an article on the WUSA website about Orientation.

Your UݮƵ life, one click away

People sit on couches in a library lounge area.

By Jennifer Halcrow.

Whether you’re new to campus or returning after some time away, we want toensure you have access to what you need for a successfulFallTerm.

As a new undergraduate student, you can participate in virtual Orientation from August 30 to September 3. Take advantage— thisis your chance to connect with other first-year students with events like speed friending or our virtual scavenger hunt, plus so much more. Our Orientation leaders are eager to show you our unique traditions and make you feel at home in our Warrior community.remains open throughout the week.

Are you a new incoming graduate student?Continue to connect with your peersthrough ݮƵ Grad Ready until November. Log in to youraccount to access live sessions,message boardsԻreview important content that will set you up for success.

“Making the most of your time at university really means developing relationships and growing who you are as a person—these are the things that lead to success in life and what a great university experience is all about,” says Chris Read, associate provost, students. “Find your community, ask questions and enjoy the experience.”

Some of you may be joining us in person this fall, while others may continue their studies virtually. No matter where you are, your UݮƵ community is here to support your every step. A variety of resources have been compiled into one convenient space— start exploring.

Academic Success

  • Develop the strategies you need to study smarter, not harder. Discover the Student Success Office’slearning resources.

  • For some extra support, book aPeer Success Coachingappointment to develop a plan for academic success.

  • Writing a paper? Designing a portfolio? Giving a presentation? ճWriting and Communication Centrecan help you work through all stages of the communication process.

  • Review theguidefor graduate research and supervision to understand the roles and responsibilities of those who contribute to a graduate education.

  • Explore the Library’s resources forundergraduateԻgraduatestudents.

  • Order your course materials and stock up on school supplies with the.

Physical and Mental Health

Student Experience

  • Join a student club or association and participate in a variety of events across campus. There are lots of opportunities for both ourԻstudents to find your community.

  • Grab a bite toeat on campus. Choose from a wide variety of flavours to satisfy any craving.

  • It’s never too early to embrace your leadership potential.Student Leadership Programworkshops will be offered online for the fall 2021 term.

  • Enhance your degree with theGlobalExperience Certificate(GEC). Position yourself as a future leader with a competitive advantage.

  • Build your entrepreneurial skills and get advice from experienced coaches. Explore all of our.

Co-op and Career

  • Develop skills and gain experience to prepare for the future workforce. Reviewjob boards or identify your skills throughEDGE.

  • Graduate students can register to participate in theProfessional Skills Foundationsprogram to develop skills in career preparation, communications, leadership and personal effectiveness.

Important dates and documents

These are just the tip of the iceberg Warriors,keep exploring yourUݮƵ life student resources, just one click away.

Fighting fire with seaweed

Anneke van Heuven (BASc ’21) and Elias Trouyet (BASc ’21)

By Brian Caldwell. This articleoriginally appeared on ݮƵ News.

Two recent ݮƵ Engineering graduates were named national finalists in a prestigious design contest this week for an idea that began taking shape in a first-year class.

Anneke van Heuven (BASc ’21) and Elias Trouyet (BASc ’21) were just starting the nanotechnology engineering program when they learned that the chemicals in most existing flame retardant materials can cause long-term health effects including cancer.

Five years later, the safe, non-toxic alternative they went on to develop with classmates Tessah Costello and Abby Bull as their Capstone Design project earned them one of two runner-up spots for Canada in thecompetition.

Cotton coated with a flame-retardant formulation (left) is intact after exposure to fire, while untreated fabric is destroyed.

Cotton coated with a flame-retardant formulation (left) is intact after exposure to fire, while untreated fabric is destroyed.

Their startup company,, now moves on to the international stage of the annual showcase for student inventors, with 20 global finalists for be announced in mid-October from an initial pool of more than 2,000 entries from 28 countries.

Extensive research on the health and environmental impacts of chemicals used to prevent consumer and industrial products from burning led van Heuven and Trouyet to seaweed, which has natural flame-retardant qualities.

They combined a biopolymer made from seaweed with embedded nanoparticles to develop two non-toxic, environmentally friendly coating formulations that easily exceed industry requirements.

With a basic prototype and testing to prove it works, van Heuven, the chief executive officer, and Trouyet, the chief technology officer, are now consulting potential customers and considering modifications to make an additive, in addition to a coating, for the plastic and rubber industries.

"I always liked the idea of starting my own company because I enjoyed creative and innovative projects," van Heuven said."Part of the reason I chose nanotechnology engineering was because of the entrepreneurship opportunity, but I wanted to be realistic and I only chose to pursue this path once I knew that our technology worked and there was market opportunity."

Teams from ݮƵ Engineering have a long track record of success in the Dyson competition, which was launched by the well-known inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner to challenge university students to develop innovative products that solve tangible problems.

Last year, five 2020 nanotechnology engineering graduates – Holden Beggs, Alisha Bhanji, Ishan Mishra, Fernando Pena and Zhenle Cao – finished in the top four internationally with startup Scope Photonics and its smartphone camera zoom technology.

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.

Բٰܳٴǰcan visit theto get support on adapting their teaching and learning plans for an online environment.

are available within your course in LEARN to help you build and edit your content and assignment pages quickly.

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

Employeesto 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.

ճhas virtual services and programs to helpundergrads,grad students, postdocsԻfaculty memberswith academic writing.

Co-op studentsget help finding a joband find supports to successfully work remotely, develop new skills, access wellness and career information, and contact a co-op or career advisor.

ճCentre for Career Actionassists undergraduates,graduate students,postdocs,staff,faculty, andalumnithrough navigating career services that are right for them.You can attend aone-on-one appointmentor same day drop-in sessionat the CCAforassistancewith cover letter writing, career planning and much more.You can also bookanappointmentǰdzܰto connect withourClient Support Team. The CCA is hereto helpyou.

If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, please contact theUniversity’s Campus Wellness services, eitherHealth Servicesǰ Counselling Services. You can also contact the University'sCentre for Mental Health Research and Treatment.Good2Talkis a post-secondary student helplineavailable to all students.

ճLibrarycontinues to offervirtual accesstolearning and researchmaterialsas well asthroughtheirbook pickup and delivery services.Special Collections & Archives can also be accessed byappointment.Davis Centre study spacewill not be available between August 17 andSeptember 6 as the Library prepares for the fall term. During this time, Library resources and supports will continue to be accessible virtually and staff available for questions via chat Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. The Library will be closed on September 6 for Labour Day. Full details on current services and hours areavailable on our Service Update webpage. Library staffare available for questionsviaAsk Us.

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

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

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)supports all members ofthe University of ݮƵcampuscommunitywho have experienced, or been impacted, by sexual violence.This includes all students, staff,facultyand visitorsonthemain campus, the satellite campuses, and at the affiliated and federated ݮƵ Institutes and Colleges.For support, email:svpro@uwaterloo.caor visit theSVPRO website.

ճIndigenous 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.

ճݮƵ Indigenous Student Centre, based at St. Paul’s University 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 -Visitto book an appointment

Bike Centre–

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..

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)

(Online Fitness)

Power Yoga, HIIT and Zumba. Only $4/class..

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.

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.

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

Fall Orientation, Monday, August 30 to Friday, September 3.

Labour Day holiday, most University operations closed, Monday, September 6.

Fall co-operative work term begins, Tuesday, September 7.

Classes and lectures begin, Wednesday, September 8.