January Newsletter 2025
Hello WiCS!
Happy New Year! Welcome back! WiCS has several EARLY JANUARY events for you. (When it rains, it pours....) So read this newsletter NOW and reserve your spot!
Overview of what January looks like:
WiCS Events:
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Resume Critique with HRT – January 10th
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Insights from the Inside: Former Intern Panel with Meta – January 14th
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A Day in the Life: Insights from Meta Research Scientists on the Frontlines of Discovery – January 15th
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Pathways to Impact: A Panel of Meta Engineers from Production, Network, Data Science, and Data Engineering – January 15th
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Tech Talk on the Next Decade of C++ by Herb Sutter (of Citadel) – January 15th
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Calling all Technovation Alumni!
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Call for Volunteers for Technovation
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WiCS Study Room Update
Other Events:
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GSJ Urgency of Social Justice Lecture Series: “I don’t dream of labour”: Gender, Anti-Work, and the Social Reproduction of Labouring Bodies – January 17th
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GSJ Urgency of Social Justice Lecture Series: Digging into work: what we do, what it means to us, and how it’s changing – February 7th
External Opportunities:
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Women’s Datathon hosted by Citadel & Citadel Securities – Application Deadline: January 10th
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BAM Summer Internship – Application Deadline January 10th
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Manulife Summer Co-op Positions – Application Deadline January 14th
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WiCS Feedback Form
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WiCS Social Media Channels
WiCS Events:
Resume Critique with HRT
Are you preparing to submit applications for co-op or full-time positions? Seeking expert feedback to enhance your resume and application? Join us at the Resume Critique event (online), where experienced recruiters and mentors from HRT and other industry partners will offer invaluable advice on structuring your resume for tech roles.
Event Highlights:
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Presentation with advice and tips for crafting a standout resume
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Personalized 1-on-1 feedback from HRT mentors on your resume
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Guidance on tailoring your application for tech position
Date: January 10, 2025, Friday!
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Online, Zoom
Register:
Insights from the Inside: Former Intern Panel with Meta
Join us for a conversation with former interns who have successfully navigated the transition from internship to full-time employment. Our panelists will share their experiences, insights, and advice on how to make the most of your internship and set yourself up for long-term success.
Hear about:
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Their internship experiences and what they learned
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How they leveraged their internships to land full-time jobs
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Tips and strategies for making a lasting impression
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Advice on navigating the transition from internship to full-time employment
Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and advice from those who have been in your shoes!
Date: January 14, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: DC 1302
Register:
Submit your questions
A Day in the Life: Insights from Meta Research Scientists on the Frontlines of Discovery
Target Audience: WiCs members who are currently enrolled in a PhD Program graduating in 2025 or those that are interested in learning more about the Research Scientist Role at Meta
Join Meta for an inspiring conversation with our team of Research Scientists, who are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and driving innovation. Our panelists will share their personal stories of discovery, collaboration, and growth, offering a unique glimpse into the exciting world of research science. From the thrill of exploring new ideas to the satisfaction of making a meaningful impact, our panelists will give you an inside look at what it means to be a Research Scientist. And if you're inspired by what you hear, we have current job openings for Research Scientists - join our team and start making your mark!
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: DC 1302
Register:
Submit your questions
Pathways to Impact: A Panel of Meta Engineers from Production, Network, Data Science, and Data Engineering
Target Audience: All WiCs Members with a graduation year of Summer 2025 that are interested in Production Engineering, Network Engineering, Data Science and Data Engineering
Join Meta for a conversation with Meta engineers from Production, Network, Data Science, and Data Engineering as they share their personal experiences and insights on what it takes to succeed in these fields. Our panelists will discuss their career paths, challenges, and triumphs, as well as offer advice on how to navigate the ever-evolving tech landscape. This panel promises to deliver valuable insights and inspiration for anyone interested in learning more about these exciting fields.
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: DC 1304
Register:
Submit your questions
Tech Talk on the Next Decade of C++ by Herb Sutter (Citadel Securities)
Target Audience: All CS/CFM/SE students graduating in 2027 or 2028 who are interested in C++ or financial applications of computing.
WiCS welcomes Herb Sutter, technical fellow at Citadel Securities and prominent C++ expert, to present a technical talk on the next decade of C++ followed by a fireside chat with Herb Sutter and Citadel Securities. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the best!
WiCS has first dibs in registering for the event, so register early! But please register only if you are interested in the event, as seats are limited. Cancel if you register and can no longer attend.
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: DC 1302
Register: HERE!
Calling All Technovation Alumni!
Are you a proud alumnus of the Technovation Global Challenge? Your experience makes you uniquely positioned to shape the future of this program!
This season, we’re looking for alumni to:
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Share insights from your journey.
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Help identify key coding concepts that might be missing.
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Guide & inspire the next generation of innovators.
Your expertise can make a real difference!
Get in touch: Email us at wicsoutreach@uwaterloo.ca to learn more about these amazing opportunities. Be a coding coach, speaker or role model!
Let’s make this Technovation season the best one yet!
Call for Volunteers: Join Technovation Girls ݮƵ 2025
Are you ready to inspire and support the next generation of innovators? Technovation Girls ݮƵ Chapter is seeking dedicated volunteers to help make this incredible program a success!
Why Volunteer?
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Make a tangible impact on young minds.
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Be part of a vibrant, inclusive community.
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Share your knowledge and skills – or learn something new!
How can you get involved?
There are many roles you can apply for and contribute:
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Mentor: Guide a team as they develop their app or AI solution, helping with project and time management. (~2-3 hours/week, January – April).
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Coach: Provide focused feedback on participants’ projects during workshops, either online or in-person. (~1-4 hours/month, January – April).
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Speaker: Deliver engaging talks or presentations on topics like coding, entrepreneurship, prototyping, or artificial intelligence. (~ 15 minutes per session + prep time).
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Logistics Volunteer: Help our team run our workshops & events.
Register your interest today and become part of this rewarding journey to empower young innovators!
Register: HERE!
WiCS Study Room Update
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WiCS Study Room Closure: The WiCS Study Room (DC 3150) is temporarily closed until 2027 due to the construction of the M4 Building.
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Temporary WiCS Study Room! A temporary study space is being made available during the M4 construction. The location is DC 2331 (directly above the SCS administrative offices in the Davis Centre), just down the hall from me 🙂.
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Fob Access (Winter 2025): To gain access to 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.
Note: Fobs will be available after the second week of classes.
Apply: Here!
Other Events:
GSJ Urgency of Social Justice Lecture Series
The Gender Studies and Social Justice (GSJ) Winter 2025 Lecture Series aims to build community among friends of GSJ and highlight the excellent Gender and Social Justice research we are doing in the U. ݮƵ community.
These talks are pitched for a general academic audience and are an interesting and engaging way to end the week. We serve coffee and brownies, and there is lots of time to meet the speaker and get to know like-minded colleagues. These days, when it feels like so many forces are pulling us apart, it is refreshing to see that there are lots of us here at U. ݮƵ who are, in some important ways, on the same team.
The January lecture is
“I don’t dream of labour”: Gender, Anti-Work, and the Social Reproduction of Labouring Bodies
Keywords: genderacialized labour, social reproduction theory, labouring bodies, leisure, anti-work
Speaker: Kimberly Lopez (Recreation and Leisure Studies)
Date: January 17th
Time: 3:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Hagey Hall 334
The February lecture is
Digging into work: what we do, what it means to us, and how it’s changing
Keywords: freelance labour; unpaid work; flexibility; precarity; work identity
Speaker: Nancy Worth (Geography and Environmental Management)
Date: February 7th
Time: 3:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Hagey Hall 334
External Opportunities:
Women’s Datathon Hosted by Citadel & Citadel Securities
This event is open to top students in North America who identify as women. The Datathon will take place February 2025 in Florida, Miami!
Why should you participate?
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Work with Data: Explore vast datasets to discover groundbreaking insights.
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Solve Challenging Problems: Build data-driven apps to develop real solutions to socially impactful problems.
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Compete for Prizes: Win a cash prize and eligibility to interview with Citadel.
Competition Dates: February 2025
Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
Location: Miami, Florida
Apply:
BAM Summer Internships
Check out BAM Spring-term internship positions, including in California and New York. Positions are described on their job webpage: . No application deadline is given, but the posting has been up for over 100 days, so apply ASAP!
Apply:
Manulife Summer Co-op Positions
Check out Manulife Spring-term co-op positions in ݮƵ and Toronto. Positions are described on their job webpage: . Application deadline is January 14th!
Apply:
WiCS Innovation Fund
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!
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).
WiCS Feedback Form
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😀.
WiCS Social Media Channels
Keep up to date with all WiCS Events (including the ones in this newsletter) by checking out our !
Follow our Instagram to stay up to date on all upcoming events!
That’s all for this month. We hope to see you at one of our events!
Joanne Atlee
Director of Women in Computer Science
University of ݮƵ