Uncharted: Warriors in the World

In the Data + event series, alumni join a group of Waterloo experts to explore this topic. This episode is a recording from the second event in the series, Data + Health. You'll hear a panel of alumni and faculty members discuss how data has changed health care. What have we learned so far, and how could data assist in making health a human right around the world? Keep listening. Register for the next Data + event: https://bit.ly/3JJTKYU

In the Data + event series, alumni join a group of Waterloo experts to explore the power and responsibility that comes with data. This episode is a recording from the first event in the series, Data + Climate. Hosted by Chris Fletcher, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Environment, the event featured a panel of alumni who use data to explore climate issues and create solutions. They discuss the evidence that our climate is changing, and how we know humans are responsible. Plus, they suggest solutions to reduce emissions. Keep listening. Register for Data + The Arts and other events at Alumni Black and Gold Day: https://bit.ly/3PTCBgV

Brigette Lau (BASc '99) is a mother, poker player and co-founder of venture capital firm Firework Ventures. But she didn't set out to become a startup investor. Her story begins as the daughter of hardworking immigrants who chose Waterloo's computer engineering programs because she knew it would get here a job. While working hard to build a career and life, she fell into a lot of really great opportunities that led to her current success. Firework Ventures is clearly inspired by her journey. Brigette joins the podcast to walk us through her career and share her hopes for the future workforce. Read more about Brigette in Waterloo Magazine: https://bit.ly/3OKqCCh Show notes and links: https://bit.ly/3O2GKhw

Despite working for it for years, graduation can feel unexpected. It's the end of an era, the beginning of a new one — a big, surreal transition. No one knows this better than Ola Idris (BA '22) and Safyya Cissé (BSc '22). Members of Waterloo's Class of 2022, they joined the podcast to look back on their time as students, share the advice they'd give to their younger selves, and discuss that surreal feeling of being a new grad. Show notes: https://bit.ly/39NpqyG

Earlier this month, the University of Waterloo was visited by an old friend: The Right Honourable David Johnston, former President of UWaterloo and former Governor General of Canada. David joined current President and Vice-Chancellor Vivek Goel to speak about trust in our nation, the topic of his 2018 book. They discuss the deterioration of trust that David observed even before the pandemic, how we can re-build trust in Canada, and the role that the local community can play. Join us at a future event: https://bit.ly/3Nq8Sv8

If you were a Waterloo student in 1968, you might remember an event that drove the media and police to campus in throngs. To show the violence and devastation napalm leaves in its wake, student protestors planned something drastic. They sourced their own napalm, and promised to burn a dog. In a special episode of the Waterloo alumni podcast, you'll hear from four alumni celebrating milestone anniversaries of their graduation, sharing what it was like as a student from 1967 to 1972. Register for Alumni Weekend: https://bit.ly/3srlLg4 Show notes and photos from the archives: https://bit.ly/3wfhL3w

If there's one thing that Alexandra Horwood doesn't like, it's the f-word: fees. In recent years, financial fees have acquired a negative reputation. Financial influencers, robo-advisors and do-it-yourself trading platforms encourage us to believe that higher fees will always eat into our returns, leaving us with significantly less wealth in the end. But is that really true? If you want to stay with your financial advisor, will the fees keep you from achieving your wealth and retirement goals? This is why we reached out to Alexandra, a financial advisor with Richardson Wealth. She joins us to break down the truth behind fees. Plus, we talk about meme investing, and how to find the right financial services to build your wealth.

In the age of information, learning opportunities are everywhere, and they can come with some amazing benefits. They can offer new ways to advance your career, new skills to improve your life, and a new understanding of the world. To gain all these things, it helps to have a life-long learning mindset. Discussing this topic is Judene Pretti, a senior advisor in the Work-Learn Institute, the research unit that pulls insights from Waterloo's co-op programs. She'll share insights from a study that followed students before and after graduation, and the benefits they found by embracing life-long learning. Inspired to hire a co-op student? Request a hiring package: https://bit.ly/3IgeENC

Over the last two years, we've all been thinking a lot about the workplace, and we can't seem to agree: Does working from home bring more work-life balance? What will it mean to go "back to normal"? And who exactly is doing all this great resigning? For many of us, the future of work feels pretty uncertain -- maybe even stressful. In this episode, we explore employee desires with Anne Fannon, director at the Work-Learn Institute, a research unite that pulls insights from Waterloo's world-renowned co-op programs. She'll give us some valuable information about what the youngest workers want from their careers, and what tomorrow's most successful employers will provide them. Discover more expertise and services form Waterloo's Work-Learn Institute: https://bit.ly/3t4e5Qq

Lisa Bentley (BMath '92) is an 11-time IRONMAN champion and has represented Canada on multiple national teams. She also has cystic fibrosis, an often-fatal genetic lung disease that she now considers a super power. After retiring from sport, she employed that superpower in a new way: as an author and motivational speaker. Read Lisa's story in Waterloo Magazine: https://bit.ly/3rqbUHo Learn more about Lisa: https://www.lisabentley.com/

We often think about growth as an additive process, and it is. We take new roles to build new skills, learn new knowledge. But there's a crucial step that we forget -- letting go. In order to add, we need to make space. Chris Wilson knows this process well. Over the last 10 years, he created a thriving career with many different roles. With each new step, Chris added new understanding for his work and purpose. He also let go of the things he no longer needed for that work, including a biochemistry degree. Chris joins the podcast to talk about each step in his career, his work in cultural design, and what happened with that degree. Grads of the last decade: you're invited to the 2022 Game Changers event series. Skip to 35:41 to hear more details. Update your communications info to get the email invite: https://bit.ly/3mlaKKo

Can you point to an experience that defined your career path? For Rahim Thawer, it was an elective course — SMF 208, taught at St Jerome's. It's a Sexuality, Marriage and Family course that dives into therapies and systemic oppression. For Rahim, this was a defining moment in his education, and set him on a career path in social work. In this episode, we talk about that fateful SMF class, the St. Jerome's community and how Rahim's involvement with Glow changed his life. Grads of the last decade: you're invited to the 2022 Game Changers event series. Skip to 27:54 to hear more details and update your communications info to get the email invite this January: https://bit.ly/3mlaKKo

When you scroll through news and social media feeds, you probably see content specifically curated to your tastes and biases. Is this really a news feed? Or is it personalized entertainment? Today we're posing these questions and more to Arjun Moorthy (BASc '99). Arjun is the co-founder and CEO of The Factual, an AI-powered news platform that provides readers with the most credible perspectives on the day's trending stories. Arjun shares how the platform works, the role of sensationalism, and his thoughts on paywalls.

Two years ago, Matt Reyes (BMath '19) found himself with a tough decision. His friends Calvin and Anthony were forgoing full-time job offers to start a software consultancy business—and they wanted Matt to join. Matt also turned down a job offer and today the three are co-founders at Hypotenuse Labs, where they build AI and blockchain products for startups. Matt and his co-founder Calvin Chan (BCS '19) join the podcast to talk about why they made that decision and how they built a client base. Plus, Calvin shared some of the most exciting projects they're working on today. Read about their work in blockchain and cryptocurrency: https://bit.ly/3ovmGtn

Carolyn Mills (BA '00) spends her days in the classroom, teaching grade seven students. But she's also an award-winning writer and author of two books. Her picture book, The Little Boy Who Lived Down the Drain, was published in 2017. And as of March 2021, you can find her debut novel, The Good Son, on library and store bookshelves.

Three experts share their knowledge on 5G technology, the new opportunities it brings, and the risks it uncovers. This bonus episode is a recording from our recent alumni event, "Humans and Interconnectivity."

You've probably seen it in the headlines before: we are more polarized than ever. Politics, the climate, the shape of the Earth — people are disagreeing about all of it, and that can take a real toll on our everyday lives, at work and home. So, how do we deal with all these polarizing beliefs? For that, we're turning to Liane Davey (MASc '95, PhD '99). Known as the "teamwork doctor," she's advised hundreds of teams on how to work together effectively. And her newest book, The Good Fight, is all about conflict. Watch the video to hear her advice on how we can disagree with others in a more productive way.

Our careers don't exist in a vacuum — they're an integral part of our personal development. Nel Wieman's (BSc '88, MSc '91) career journey is an amazing example of that fact. She began at Waterloo as a kinesiology student, fascinated with biomechanics. Then, she became Canada's first female Indigenous psychiatrist. And today, she's a public health official at the First Nations Health Authority in British Colombia. Nel joins the podcast to tell her career story and share the personal revelations she uncovered with each new step. Register for Alumni Black and Gold Day: http://waterloo.imodules.com/s/1802/cart21/interior.aspx?sid=1802&gid=2&pgid=2327

Finding the right career path can be hard, even when it's sitting in front of your face. Nadia Hohn (BA '01) is the author behind seven books for children. But until this year, she never believed that she could make a career in writing. In fact, she spent years feeling unsure of her career choices and searching for a new path. All the while, she was a passionate writer… but only in her free time. Nadia joins the podcast to share how she eventually took the plunge into a writing career, and how it fits into her work as an advocate for diversity.

Brad Regehr (BA '93) was working at the Turnkey Desk when a friend stopped by holding an LSAT study guide. That's the first time he considered becoming a lawyer. A grandchild of a residential school survivor, and a survivor himself of the Sixties Scoop, Brad has now worked in Indigenous law for more than 20 years. In fall 2020, he was named president of the Canadian Bar Association -- the first Indigenous president in the organization's 124-year history. Brad speaks with Abby Ollila, a current history student at Waterloo. They talk about how he reconnected with his identity and culture as a student, and what the future holds for Indigenous rights in Canada. Learn more about the Haldimand Tract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD7Jd2Mnq3U Learn about the land you live on (interactive map): https://native-land.ca/ Listen to Brad's podcast as CBA president: https://www.cba.org/Publications-Resources/Podcasts/Conversation-with-the-President Find more resources from this episode and beyond (+ show notes): https://uwaterloo.ca/impact-stories/podcast-reconciliation-and-canadas-legal-system

As a Waterloo alumnus, you've probably heard a lot of entrepreneurial stories. But I promise, Sefunmi and Helen's will stand out. Sefunmi Osinaike (BASc '17) knew he wanted to start a company; he even did an entrepreneurship co-op term as a student. He also knew that he wanted his friend Helen Huang (BSc '17) to be a co-founder. Helen was not on the same page. Entrepreneurship just wasn't on her radar. But today, they're the co-founders of Co.Lab, where they help people of all backgrounds succeed in the tech industry.

There’s a word everyone uses when they talk about a great entrepreneur. The thing that helps them pull through the long days, the rejection and self-doubt. The thing that keeps them going when others might give up. That word is “hustle,” and for Marc Lafleur, it’s a way of life. Marc joins us in studio to share how he made the leap from hustling for a company to hustling for himself. He gives advice you can use to build your dream career, no matter what it is. Mentioned in this episode: Beyond the Bulletin Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/beyond-the-bulletin

What does meaningful work look like to you? Do you remember the moment you found your sense of purpose? Landon Jennings dedicated herself to a career serving others after she went through a really hard time in her life. One day in Grade 9, she heard her name called over the school’s PA system, with instructions to go to the principal’s office. When she arrived, she found her mom waiting for her, along with the police. That day, Landon recalled memories she’d tried to repress. Her best friend had been abusing her for the last two years. More victims had been identified, and Landon’s best friend was going to be charged with aggravated assault. From there, Landon had to figure out how to cope with the trauma and rebuild her life. It took time and resilience, but today, her experience motivates her to help others through her work as a fundraiser and community builder. She works at St. Paul’s University College at Waterloo, and she’s with me today to talk about her journey.

Laura Galbraith has one of those jobs that tells you the world of work is changing. Laura is the Community Engagement Program Manager at Vidyard, a video platform for business that’s based in Kitchener, Ontario. She helps employees find ways to give back to their community through donations of time, talent and treasure. She doesn’t do this work over her lunch hour, or as a special project. This is her full-time job, and it’s a product of her company’s commitment to the region it calls home. In my conversation with Laura, we’ll hear about the rewards of serving others, the projects that Laura’s leading in the Waterloo tech community, and the ways that companies are changing how they think about giving back. Mentioned in this episode: Meet Waterloo alumni in your area: https://uwaterloo.ca/alumni/get-involved

Ajoa Mintah has always been a maker. The founder of Four All Ice Cream spends her days whipping up treats to evoke childhood memories and delight the most discerning foodies. Today, Ajoa takes us on her journey from engineer to entrepreneur. We’ll talk about the need to be creative, and how sometimes, doing the safe thing can actually help you build your dream career. Mentioned in this episode: Game Changers Event Series: https://uwaterloo.ca/alumni/events-and-awards/game-changers

University of Waterloo alumni inspire you as you launch — or change — your career. Sharing personal stories about their professional lives, Waterloo graduates open up about struggles they’ve faced in their work, and the steps they’ve taken to carve out their path in the world. Discover their stories today, and embrace the unknown.