February Newsletter 2025

Monday, February 3, 2025
by Shireen Rajora

February Newsletter 2025

Hello WiCS community!Ìý

We hope your year is already in full swing. Check out the following upcoming opportunities — some have very early deadlines!!ÌýÌý

Overview of what February looks like:Ìý

WiCS Events:Ìý

  • Galentine’s Day Cookie Decoration – February 13thÌýÌý

  • WiCS Student/Industry Lunch – March 6thÌý

  • Calling all Technovation Alumni!Ìý

  • Call for Volunteers for TechnovationÌý

  • WiCS Study Room UpdateÌý

External Opportunities:Ìý

  • Jane Street Immersion ProgramÌý – Application Deadline: February 9thÌýÌý

  • Jane Street FOCUSÌý – Application Deadline: March 23rdÌý

  • NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)Ìý – Application Deadline: March 17thÌý

  • Mathematics Undergraduate Research Awards (MURA) – Application Deadline: March 17thÌý

  • TechNova 2025 Organizing Team Application Open – Application Deadline: February 9thÌýÌý

  • WiCS Feedback FormÌý

  • WiCS Social Media ChannelsÌý

WiCS Events:Ìý

Galentine’s Day Cookie DecorationÌý

Join your fellow gals in computer science to decorate cookies for Valentine’s Day! Come out for the sweet treat and stay for some much-needed de-stressing during midterms.Ìý

Date: February 13, 2025Ìý

Time: 4:30 PM - 5:30 PMÌý

Location: DC FishbowlÌýÌý

Register: Ìý

WiCS Student/Industry LunchÌý

Come join us for an industry lunch with some of WiCS’s sponsors to celebrate International Women’s Day!ÌýÌý

Date: March 6th, 2025Ìý

Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PMÌý

Location: TBDÌý

Register: Ìý

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. (~1-2 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

  • Logistics Volunteer: Help our team run one of 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

  • WiCS Study Room Closure: The WiCS Study Room (DC 3150) is temporarily closed until 2027 due to the construction of the M4 Building.ÌýÌýÌý

  • Temporary WiCS Study Room!Ìý A temporary study space has been made available during the M4 construction. The location is DC 2331 (directly above the SCS administrative offices in the Davis Centre). The room is accessible (by fob) all days of the week, from 7am to 12pm!ÌýÌý

  • Fob Access (Winter 2025): To obtain a fob to access the temporary study room for the Winter 2025 term, please complete the fob request form linked below. The WiCS Event Coordinator will inform you via email when your fob is ready for pickup.Ìý

Apply: Here!Ìý

External Opportunities:Ìý

Jane Street Immersion ProgramÌý

JSIP is for undergraduate students between their first and second year at the time of the program who are passionate about software engineering and have experienced barriers to access and opportunity within computer science. This fellowship program takes place from mid-June through August. Fellows will learn from full-time Jane Street software engineers and dive deep into computer science fundamentals. All living expenses and a stipend are paid to accepted fellows.ÌýÌý

Application Deadline: February 9th, Sunday at 11:59PM ESTÌý

Apply: Ìý

Jane Street FOCUSÌý

This program is for first year students who have experienced barriers to accessing advanced STEM educational opportunities to meet our team and learn more about trading, software engineering and strategy and product teams. FOCUS will take place from May 21st - May 22nd, 2025.ÌýÌýÌý

Application Deadline: March 23rd, SundayÌý

Apply: Ìý

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)Ìý

The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) is a financial award that allows outstanding undergraduate students to work with a faculty member in an academic research environment for an academic term. This qualifies as a co-op placement.Ìý

USRA recipients take part in a research project in an area of Computer Science, under the direction and guidance of a supervisor. The type of work will vary depending on the supervisor, the project, and the student's background. If you are interested in exploring the research side of academic life or if your goal is graduate studies in a field related to Computer Science, the experience of an NSERC USRA could be very helpful.Ìý

Applications are being accepted for a Spring term award.Ìý Late applications will not be considered.Ìý

Spring 2025 Deadline: March 17th, MondayÌý

Apply: Here!Ìý

Mathematics Undergraduate Research Awards (MURA)Ìý

The Mathematics Undergraduate Research Award (MURA) Program is an undergraduate research award program sponsored by the Faculty of Mathematics. This award provides experience that nurtures an interest in research careers and mathematics experience for undergraduate students with financial support during a full-time, on-campus or remote position for 16 weeks.Ìý This qualifies as a co-op placement.Ìý

Applications are being accepted for a Spring term award.Ìý

Spring 2025 Deadline: March 17th, MondayÌý

Apply: Here!Ìý

TechNova 2025 Organizing Team Application OpenÌý

TechNova is a 36-hour in-person hackathon in late September (Projected for Mid September) with workshops and networking opportunities.Ìý
Ìý
This end-to-end event aims to help kickstart students' journeys in tech whether they are a beginner just starting off or a seasoned hacker looking for new challenges. We want to organize an event where attendees:Ìý

  • Have a community where they feel safe and includedÌýÌý

  • Develop practical career skills towards a career in techÌý

  • Are empowered to create great thingsÌý

If you are passionate about gender equity/empowerment diversity, inclusion or technology/hackathons we invite you to apply! You are encouraged to apply to at most 3 roles. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis so make sure to apply as soon as you can. Apply soon as there are limited spots!Ìý

Application Deadline: February 9th, 11:59 PM ESTÌý

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 Spring’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

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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

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Visit the WiCS Website   Ìý

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That’s all for this month. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events events!Ìý

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Shireen RajoraÌýÌý

WiCS Event FacilitatorÌý

University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ   Ìý