Beyond the Bulletin Podcast

Heather MacDougall, a professor of history, tells about the outbreak of the Spanish Flu in 1918, and how it compares to our current situation as we fight the spread of COVID-19. Waterloo region is now in the red zone of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework, and the University has made changes accordingly. For Giving Tuesday, the Office of Advancement has created a lineup of 21 cha...

An event like a pandemic that drastically changes our activity can affect the way we view indoor and outdoor spaces. Colin Ellard, a professor of psychology, studies the ways built and unbuilt environments affect our emotions, our movements, and even our physiology. Vivek Goel will be the University’s next president, taking office in July. There are changes to Waterloo’s winter schedule. And the U...

The important work of the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce to address racism on campus is underway. Charmaine Dean leads engagement and action for the task force, and in the interview tells us what’s been accomplished so far, plus what comes next. COVID-19 testing at the Testing Assessment Centre at Health Services is now open to family members of UWaterloo students, employees and postdocs if the...

Mental health professionals sometimes prescribe mindfulness for stress management. And for some companies, it’s big business. Jeff Wilson, a professor at Renison University College and a member of the Religious Studies department in the Waterloo Faculty of Arts, discusses the changing face of mindfulness as well as its benefits. Waterloo holds a series of events to build a culture of wellbeing. Th...

The Faculty of Arts celebrates its 60th anniversary and Sheila Ager, its dean, reflects on its beginnings and the importance of the arts in society. More than 2,600 people earned degrees at fall convocation. Mansour Esnaashary Esfahani and Mari Foroutan, who were killed in the Ukrainian International Airlines crash, received PhD degrees posthumously. Jaya Gupta, a nanotechnology student who died o...

Waterloo Ready, a pre-orientation introduced for Fall Term, gave upper-year students a chance to mentor incoming students. Miila Tuju, from the Faculty of Environment, was one of the mentors and shares her experience. Senate approves the implementation of a new survey to replace the existing course evaluations. The Sustainability Office has organized a number of challenges for Zero Waste Week. And...

The Committee to Organize UWaterloo is behind a campaign to unionize some graduate students and sessional instructors, and PhD student Sara Marsh and Professor Jeff Casello, from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, share their perspectives. There is a new protocol for tracking cases of COVID-19 on campus. A public lecture examines the potential global effect of the U.S. Election. And the pr...

As the world of cybersecurity grows ever more complex, the University of Waterloo is taking steps to stay two steps ahead of would-be phishers and hackers. Director of Information Security Services Jason Testart joins us to talk about the University’s 2-factor authentication initiative. The University has opened a COVID-19 testing and assessment centre and has announced plans for the winter 2021 t...

Returning to school can be stressful anyway, but the pandemic probably means there is a lot more anxiety for parents and their kids. Dillon Browne, a clinical psychologist in the Faculty of Arts, has some coping advice that can help adults and children. A coronavirus testing centre for employees and students will open October 1. Waterloo joins the conversation on WeChat. The Grad House reopens, pl...

While September is about starting a new academic year, some at Waterloo are already working on next year. Scott O’Neill tells us the ways student recruitment is changing with the times. UW Food Services offers delivery and pickup. UWaterloo becomes one of the first 5G smart campuses in Canada. And watch out for phishing scams. Links in this episode: In-person services: https://uwaterloo.ca/daily-b...

Mary Wells, Waterloo Engineering’s new dean, tells us about hopes for the Faculty and engineering in Canada. Some University operations are gearing up. A new system requires us to check in when we visit any campus building. And Waterloo takes part in the #TakeThatStep mental health campaign. Links in this episode: What’s Open: https://uwaterloo.ca/daily-bulletin/2020-08-31#what-s-open-on-campus-as...

The Waterloo Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) is helping parents and teachers keep their students learning during the pandemic, and views of CEMC courseware just surged past 10 million. Ian VanderBurgh, director of CEMC, is the interview guest. Check out the Welcome Back Waterloo guide and safety video. The Presidential Nomination Committee is selecting its short-list of ca...

Student Ridhi Patel invented an online game called Quarantrivia to fight misinformation about COVID-19. The president announced a series of actions to address systemic racism. Students get a break on a number of fees. And University employees get two extra days off this year. Links in this episode: Anti-racism: https://uwaterloo.ca/strategic-plan/#community Thank-you days: https://uwaterloo.ca/dai...

Brian Dixon, a Waterloo immunologist and biology professor, recently answered the call to pivot his research focus from the fish we eat to the fight against COVID-19. The work could help in the development of a vaccine. Members of senior administration gather feedback on the University’s anti-racism activities. There are a number of opportunities to support students as the fall term approaches. An...

With the pandemic temporarily shuttering the Gustav Bakos Observatory on campus, Victor Arora is back to tell us about upcoming astronomical events and ways you can navigate the night sky from home. Face coverings are required for common areas of all University buildings, including labs, classrooms, and washrooms. A recent court decision on copyright affects the post-secondary sector. And move-in...

Will Percival, of Waterloo’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, shares details of a project he helped lead that resulted in the largest 3D map of the universe and tells us what’s next. Face coverings will soon be mandatory for all employees, students, visitors and contractors in common-use areas of University buildings. The first-ever virtual Waterloo Innovation Summit focused on Waterloo’s key...

The pandemic has reduced our energy consumption, and Juan Moreno-Cruz, a professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, tells us what it means for the planet. More researchers to return to campus in Phase 2 of the research restart plan. Eight Waterloo students win prestigious Vanier scholarships. And your desk phone’s days may be numbered. Links in this episode: Research Resta...

Many of us have been working from home for a lot longer than we anticipated. Andrew Scheifele, from the Safety Office, gives us helpful advice on ergonomics to help us avoid an injury. Kyne Santos, a fourth-year student from the Faculty of Mathematics, is a contender in the reality TV series, Canada’s Drag Race. Waterloo chooses the winners of our first virtual 3 Minute Thesis competition. And the...

In this special, first-anniversary edition of the podcast, Jean Becker, senior director of Indigenous initiatives, shares plans for Waterloo’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action. We remember our first provost and a distinguished professor emeritus. The president outlines plans for a gradual return to campus. Several senior administrators start new terms. And our...

With the pandemic disrupting the economy, the School of Accounting and Finance’s Tracy Hilpert helps us mitigate the possible effects on our household finances. Congrats to the Class of 2020 as Waterloo completes its first-ever virtual convocation. The Waterloo Warriors Jump into June with a fitness challenge. And we've got answers to your questions from the President’s Virtual Town Hall. Links in...

Zahid Butt, an expert on the spread of infectious diseases and a professor from the School of Public Health and Health Systems, clarifies Ontario’s new rules on social bubbles. The new President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) invites members of campus to share experiences. It’s convocation week and grad students and faculty members won awards for teaching. Graduating students receive a special del...

Mikal Skuterud, a labour economist and professor from the Department of Economics, shares what’s behind some staggering numbers from Canada’s labour market, and what we can expect in the future. The University condemns racism and commits to doing more to support the campus community and advocate for change. Spring convocation goes virtual. And Jennifer Clapp, a professor from the Faculty of Enviro...

Ken McLaughlin, Waterloo professor emeritus and historian, shares personal stories about Doug Wright and discusses the enormous impact of Waterloo’s first dean of engineering and third president and vice-chancellor. Wright died on May 22. More than 1,600 people attend the first President’s Virtual Town Hall, where Feridun Hamdullahpur outlined the impacts of the pandemic on University operations a...

Trevor Charles, a professor from the Faculty of Science and the Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, tells us about COVID-19’s potential to persist on surfaces, as well as testing that could help officials monitor the level of infection in communities. Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University, provides an update on classes and supports during the fall term. Students...

Kristina Llewellyn, a professor at Renison University College at Waterloo, tells us about remote emergency teaching for children during the pandemic and the effect this approach has on kids, parents, and teachers. The Faculty of Mathematics hires a new dean. Three Warriors will play in the CFL. And the University ranks highly in Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings for our efforts to build a m...