The University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ has spent the last year celebrating 60 years of innovation. From public lectures to panel discussions, branded merchandise and banners on buildings, there have been many opportunities to celebrate the University's 60thÌý´¡²Ô²Ô¾±±¹±ð°ù²õ²¹°ù²â.
Institutional celebrations were complemented by a number of milestone events within the faculties, academic support units, and faculty,Ìýstudent and alumni groups.Ìý
The Faculty of Engineering's 60thÌýanniversary coincided with the University's 60thÌýas did Co-operative Education and Career Action and the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's Faculty Association, and the Faculty of Mathematics, the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, the School of Optometry and Vision Science, and the Federation of Students each celebrated 50 years. The Hong Kong Alumni Association celebrated 40 years this year, and the Institute for Quantum Computing marked 15 years.ÌýThe School of Pharmacy welcomed its 10thÌýincoming class. The University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's Stratford Campus held its 5-year anniversary in 2017 as well.
So what happened in the first three months of our anniversary year? Here's a non-exhaustive, but hopefully comprehensive, overview of the celebrations, events, and happenings that helped the University mark 60 years of innovation:
The official kick-off to the University's diamond jubilee celebration was theÌýBeyond 60: University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ 60thÌýAnniversary LectureÌýon Monday, January 9Ìýfeaturing keynote speakers Edward Snowden, Kate Darling of MIT, and À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ professors Heather Douglas, Dana Kulic, and Michele Mosca. Snowden, who spoke by video conference,Ìýspoke about the relationship between technology and governing a free society, providing examples in several countries, including Canada, where government authorities have collected large amounts of private data and metadata on people, including innocent people who had done nothing wrong.Ìý"Privacy is the fountainhead of all rights," Snowden said.Ìý"If we are going to have individual rights we have to protect them for everyone."
TheÌýFaculty of Mathematics entered its 50thÌýanniversary year with gusto, hostingÌýa lively panel discussionÌýon on January 18 that featured past alumni discussing their stories of the Faculty's early years, as well as displays of the computing technology of yesteryear. The panel, chaired by Steve Brown, includedÌý,ÌýBev Marshman,ÌýPaul Schellenberg,Ìý,ÌýIan McGeeandÌýJerry Lawless, all who were present during the early years of the Faculty as staff or students.
Hot on the heels of the first Beyond 60 lecture was theÌý60thAnniversary Alumni reception in VancouverÌýon January 19 that saw 150 alumni, students, and partners gatherÌýat the Telus World of Science in Vancouver. The event, hosted by President Feridun Hamdullahpur and Vice-President, Advancement Joanne Shoveller,ÌýincludedÌýan exclusive sneak peek at the grand opening ofÌýIQC's QUANTUM: The Exhibition.Ìý
TheÌýFaculty of Arts celebratedÌýthe official opening of the Hagey Hall HubÌýon February 10with a reception that welcomedÌýrelatives of the University's Charter Board of Governors who rallied together as donors to name the main floor in honourÌýof theÌývisionaries who joined Gerry HageyÌýin 1955 to plant the seeds that grew to become Canada's most innovative university. The main floor of the Hub is now known as Founder's Hall.
In March, theÌýBeyond 60 Community Lecture SerieslaunchedÌýin partnership with the Kitchener Public Library withÌýa discussion on the truth about fake newsÌýthat featured a panel of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ professors, moderated byÌýDouglas Peers, that includedÌýRobert Danisch,ÌýAnna EsselmentÌýandÌýDavid DeVidi, all who discussed the topic from their disciplines of speech communication, political science and philosophy.