December Newsletter 2024

Sunday, December 1, 2024
by Shireen Rajora

December Newsletter 2024

Hello WiCS,Ìý

We hope that you are taking care of yourselves during this busy time. We have highlighted some great opportunities for the month of December!Ìý

Overview of what December looks like:Ìý

WiCS Events:Ìý

  • Distinguished Lecture Series: Professor Virginia Vassilevska Williams – December 13thÌýÌý

  • Calling all Technovation Alumni!Ìý

  • Call for Volunteers for TechnovationÌý

  • WiCS Study Room UpdateÌý

External Opportunities:Ìý

  • Women’s Datathon hosted by Citadel & Citadel Securities – Application Deadline: January 10th, 2025Ìý

WiCS Innovation FundÌý

WiCS Feedback FormÌý

WiCS Social Media ChannelsÌý

WiCS Events:Ìý

Distinguished Lecture Series: Professor Vassilevska WilliamsÌý

Join us for a two-part event featuring Professor Virginia Vassilevska Williams from MIT!Ìý

  1. Public Talk:Ìý

  • Topic: Advice and Experiences as a Woman in Academia (Math/Computer Science)Ìý

  • Audience: Open to all; No registration required.Ìý

  1. Graduate Student Lunch:Ìý

  • Invitation: Graduate students in Math and Computer Science who identify as female or gender-diverse are invited to a private lunch with Professor Williams. This follows her talk and offers an excellent opportunity for discussion and networking. Please note that the spots are limited, hence, registration is mandatory.Ìý

Date: December 13, 2024Ìý

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AMÌý

Location: DC 1301Ìý

Don’t miss this chance to learn from a leading MIT researcher and connect with others in the field.Ìý

Register for Lunch: ÌýÌý

Calling All Technovation Alumni!Ìý

Are you a proud alumnus of the Technovation Global Challenge? Your experience makes you uniquely positioned to shape the future of this program!Ìý

This season, we’re looking for alumni to:Ìý

  • Share insights from your journey.Ìý

  • Help identify key coding concepts that might be missing.Ìý

  • Guide & inspire the next generation of innovators.Ìý

Your expertise can make a real difference!Ìý

Get in touch: Email us at wicsoutreach@uwaterloo.ca to learn more about these amazing opportunities. Be a coding coach, speaker or role model!Ìý

Let’s make this Technovation season the best one yet!Ìý

Call for Volunteers: Join Technovation Girls À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ 2025Ìý

Are you ready to inspire and support the next generation of innovators? Technovation Girls À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Chapter is seeking dedicated volunteers to help make this incredible program a success!ÌýÌý

Why Volunteer?Ìý

  • Make a tangible impact on young minds.Ìý

  • Be part of a vibrant, inclusive community.Ìý

  • Share your knowledge and skills – or learn something new!Ìý

How can you get involved?Ìý

There are many roles you can apply for and contribute:Ìý

  • Mentor: Guide a team as they develop their app or AI solution, helping with project and time management. (~2-3 hours/week, January – April).Ìý

  • Coach: Provide focused feedback on participants’ projects during workshops, either online or in-person. (~1-4 hours/month, January – April).Ìý

  • Speaker: Deliver engaging talks or presentations on topics like coding, entrepreneurship, prototyping, or artificial intelligence. (~ 15 minutes per session + prep time).Ìý

  • Logistics Volunteer: Help our team run our workshops & events.ÌýÌý

Register your interest today and become part of this rewarding journey to empower young innovators!Ìý

Register: HERE!Ìý

WiCS Study Room UpdateÌý

  • Current Study Room Closure: The WiCS Study Room (DC 3150) will temporarily close starting December 9th until the end of construction. Please collect all belongings before this date, as access will not be available afterwards.Ìý

  • Temporary Study Room: A temporary study space will be provided during construction. Details will be shared soon – stay tuned!Ìý

  • Fob Collection: Fob return begins Monday, November 25, and ends Thursday, December 12. Please make sure to return your fob on time to avoid any charges for lost or late returns.Ìý

External Opportunities:Ìý

Women’s Datathon Hosted by Citadel & Citadel SecuritiesÌý

This event is open to top students in North America who identify as women. The Datathon will take place February 2025 in Florida, Miami!ÌýÌý

Why should you participate?Ìý

  • Work with Data: Explore vast datasets to discover groundbreaking insights.Ìý

  • Solve Challenging Problems: Build data-driven apps to develop real solutions to socially impactful problems.Ìý

  • Compete for Prizes: Win a cash prize and eligibility to interview with Citadel.Ìý

Competition Dates: February 2025Ìý

Application Deadline: January 10, 2025Ìý

Location: Miami, FloridaÌý

Apply: Ìý

WiCS Innovation FundÌý

The WiCS Innovation Fund supports student-initiated activities such as hackathons, workshops, conferences, and much more, that support women and non-binary students in computing. WiCS will give out two awards worth $500 for Winter’25 initiatives!Ìý

If you’re interested, send an email to wics@uwaterloo.ca with an explanation of the use (e.g., organizing an event, attending a conference or hackathon) and what you will get out of attending. The Fund will sponsor future events only (not past events).Ìý

WiCS Feedback Form  Ìý

Whether you have concerns, suggestions, or ideas, we want to hear from you. Our feedback form is designed for your convenience and confidentiality. Express yourself openly without revealing your identity—we’re here to listen😀.  Ìý

WiCS Feedback Form  Ìý

WiCS Social Media Channels Ìý

   Ìý
WiCS Feedback Form  Ìý

Keep up to date with all WiCS Events (including the ones in this newsletter) by checking out our !   Ìý

Follow our Instagram to stay up to date on all upcoming events!  Ìý

   Ìý

  Ìý

   Ìý

Visit the WiCS Website   Ìý

   Ìý

  Ìý

Have a great end to your semester and happy holidays!Ìý

   Ìý

Smridhi Bawa  Ìý

WiCS Event Coordinator Co-op   Ìý

Women in Computer Science  Ìý

University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ   Ìý