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Articles by Radha Vyas
Voices for Palestine exhibition marks three years of genocide and resistance
University of Waterloo Voices for Palestine (UWVFP) held an exhibition titled “Marking Three Years: Genocide and Resistance” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 7, marking three years since the escalation of violence in Gaza and ongoing genocide against Palestinians. “We hope that people take away that the genocide has not ended.
UW bucket list: Things to do before graduating
Have you ever wondered what you should do before graduating from UW?
DWE closed until Oct. 4
According to UWaterloo’s safety alert system, the DWE building will remain closed until Oct. 4 following wastewater pipe damage that caused a sewage backup and surface discharge near the UW campus. Activities scheduled in DWE will be adjusted as needed, and details will be shared directly with affected students and employees.
DWE closed due to sewer backup
According to a UW all-campus alert, the Douglas Wright Engineering (DWE) building has been evacuated and will remain closed until further notice due to a major city sewer backup. The alert was issued at 3:57 p.m. on Sept. 24 to UW community members through email, text, and the Regroup emergency notification system. The university is asking students and staff to avoid DWE and the affected surrounding areas. Plant Operations is working with the City of Waterloo to address the issue.
WalkSafe returns to campus for second pilot
The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) has relaunched its WalkSafe pilot program for fall 2026. WalkSafe lets students walk with a trained student volunteer to any destination on the main campus after dark. Students can request to be accompanied by a WalkSafe volunteer through WUSA’s WalkSafe request form.
Affordable weekend adventures (Sept. 11-13)
Not sure what to do this weekend? Well, there are several ways to explore KW and have fun without spending much. Check out our picks for Sept. 11-13. Celebrate the end of summer at Belmont Village Bestival, a two-day music and arts festival featuring local performers, visual artists and food vendors. The festival takes over Belmont Village in Kitchener this Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12.
Waterloo student charged in U.S. after airport photography linked to suspected espionage
A UW undergraduate student has been charged in the U.S. with making false statements to authorities after allegedly photographing aircraft at airports in Canada and the U.S. A CBC News story published Sept. 2 reported that Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese citizen and UW student, was arrested Aug.
Voices for Palestine calls for WUSA Board to step down, alleging that BDS motion has not been implemented
UW Voices for Palestine (UWVFP) is calling on UW undergraduate students to request a special members meeting to consider removing the WUSA Board of Directors.
Warriors hockey player takes her hockey career from Waterloo to Sweden
| August 24, 2026 Former Waterloo Warriors women’s hockey player, Carly Orth, will kick off her professional career in Sweden after signing with Örebro Hockey. The team is a member of Nationella Damhockeyligan. Orth’s path to Örebro involved working with an agent who reached out to teams and shared her highlight video with coaches and general managers. “I really enjoyed talking to the coaches; I love Sweden and the contract was perfect. So I’m excited to go,” Orth said.
Civic Holiday 2026: What’s open and closed in KW
Monday, Aug. 3 is Civic Holiday in Ontario, and several services across KW will operate on modified schedules. Campus libraries will be open, with certain exceptions. The Dana Porter (DP) Library and its help desk will be open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Geospatial Centre and Special Collections & Archives inside the library will be closed.
Delulu or trululu? UW students respond to popular assumptions about the university
We’ve all had assumptions about UW before coming here. Some of it starts in high school, some during applications, and some stick around even after you’ve accepted your offer. At some point, you start to wonder what’s actually true and what’s just talk. So here’s what some students at UW feel, based on their own experiences.
Air quality warning in effect due to wildfire smoke
Environment Canada has issued an orange air quality warning for Kitchener, Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo today on Tuesday, July 15, due to wildfire smoke. This high-impact alert is due to smoke from wildfires burning in northwestern Ontario drifting into the region, which are causing very poor air quality and reduced visibility across the area. Environment Canada states that conditions are expected to improve by Friday morning.
UW research examines the science of thinking under pressure
When a pilot faces a mechanical failure mid-flight, or a firefighter enters a burning building, success often depends on the ability to think clearly under intense pressure. But what happens inside the brain and body during these high-stakes situations? A research study from the visuomotor neuroscience lab at UW aims to answer that question. The study is led by Samantha Bjelis, an MSc candidate in kinesiology specializing in neuroscience.
MathSoc Cartoons breaks down complex concepts
At UW, math and CS are getting the comic treatment through the MathSoc Cartoons comic. The comic is published biweekly on Instagram and in MathNEWS. It covers a range of UW courses in statistics, computer science, combinatorics and optimization, pure mathematics, and calculus, to make complex concepts easier to understand through humour and visual storytelling. “I found the cartoons really cute.
Planned Electrical Shutdown to affect main campus overnight
UW will experience a planned electrical shutdown on Thursday, June 11, as Plant Operations conducts electrical work on the northern portion of the main campus. From approximately 9:30 p.m. on June 11 until 3:30 a.m. on June 12, normal power will be unavailable in multiple campus buildings. These include C2, DC, MC, GSC, COM, M3, M4, CSB, ERC, BMH, AHS, PAC, SLC, OPT, UC, HS, REV, MKV, V1, TH, FED, and QNC.
WatSFiC celebrates 50 years of science fiction, fantasy, and community
WatSFiC is marking its half a century through events that reflect the club’s history. “That was a lot of fun doing a lot of the games and watching movies across the past 50 years,” Jaycob Liinamaa, club’s promotional director, shared. Liinamaa has been a member since May 2023 and has held multiple executive roles, including webmaster, president, and promotional director. He is currently serving as pagemaster following his graduation to help complete the Star Songs, a club fanzine revival project.
CODA exhibition showcases the final works of UW fine arts students
The 52nd Senior Undergraduate Exhibition ran from March 19 to April 4 at the University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG). Presented annually by UW’s fine arts department, the exhibition showcases the work of graduating students. The theme of this year’s exhibition was coda.
What’s behind the construction at STC?
If you have recently found your usual study spot in the Science Teaching Complex (STC) rearranged or blocked off entirely, you are not alone. Over the past month, students have had to navigate shifting seating layouts and temporary restrictions across floors, raising questions about what exactly is happening inside one of the campus’s busiest academic buildings.
Why I set up a group travel company for solo travelers aged in their 30s and 40s
Radha Vyas 10th Feb 2026 7 min read 678 When she discovered a gap in the market for group travel tours featuring solo travelers in their 30s and 40s, Flash Pack co-founder and CEO Radha Vyas took matters into her own hands. Summer 2012. I was single, in my thirties, completely tired of my job and desperate for a vacation. You know that feeling when you just need to escape and you need to escape NOW…? That was me.
Exploring the AI shift in UW classrooms
A student uses AI. (Photo credit: Karen Zhou) With AI becoming an everyday part of learning, UW courses are evolving to balance the responsible use of technology. At the administrative level, David DeVidi, Academic Associate Vice President, explained that the university is intentionally avoiding one-size-fits-all rules because every course has different learning outcomes, assessment constraints, and disciplinary needs.
The SAD Truth: Exploring seasonal affective disorder
When your coffee turns cold before your first sip, the sunlight disappears faster than your motivation, and your 8 a.m. lecture feels like a personal attack — you might just be living the SAD life. Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD (yes, the name is ironically accurate), is basically your brain throwing a tiny tantrum because it misses the sun.
Addressing food insecurity: WUSA and local organizations take action
For many UW students, the hardest part of the week isn’t exams or 8:30 a.m. classes — it’s figuring out how to afford a balanced meal. According to the Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey, conducted by UW’s Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit in collaboration with the Institutional Analysis & Planning Department, food insecurity remains a challenge for many students.
United for a cause with UW Clubs
At UW, student clubs are channelling their passion into fundraising efforts that go beyond just dollars and cents. Taking a look behind the scenes shows how these clubs are making a meaningful impact through their initiatives. UW Beauty Club: Imagine a place where mascara mishaps turn into makeup masterclasses, and skincare swaps feel like passing secrets between friends. That’s the heart of the UW Beauty Club.
Flash Pack First-Timer: “My solo Italy trip was so empowering. I made friends for life”
Last October, I decided I wanted to get out there and have an adventure. I work as a recruiter for my day job, in my home city of Wenatchee, Washington – so I’m no stranger to striking up conversations with people I don’t know. I tend to make friends easily and try to find common ground with others. So, when testimonies from Flash Pack appeared on my Instagram feed, I felt like group travel would be a fun way to experience the world.
Female SOLOists: meet Jessica Nabongo – the first black woman to visit every country | Flash Pack
Kate Wills 7th Mar 2025 9 min read 873 Forget the idea that solo explorers are all ex-paratroopers or wealthy white men with icicles on their beard, planting flags and drinking their own pee. There are plenty of female adventurers who are breaking boundaries – and records – with their own epic trips, and solo travel for women is growing in popularity.
Establishing robust infection control at a new hospital: the AIIMS Rajkot experience
1. World Health Organization. Report on the burden of endemic health care-associated infection worldwide. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections. Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2011. 3. World Health Organization. Practical guidelines for infection control in health care facilities. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How to make (and keep) friends as an adult
Charley Ross 12th Mar 2024 8 min read 798 As our lives become more busy and demanding, knowing how to make friends as an adult and maintaining friendships can easily drop down our list of priorities. What with juggling life and work commitments and trying to stay healthy, keeping on top of social obligations and checking in on friends can fall by the wayside. But if we allow this to happen, we do so at our own peril.
Adventure used to be a man’s game. Now women like me are breaking new ground
Andi Cross 7th Mar 2024 7 min read 799 Human history is replete with tales of intrepid explorers who ventured into the unknown, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to discover new frontiers, creatures and knowledge. But when the age of exploration truly began to blossom, it was often limited to those who held positions of power; such as kings, nobles, or military leaders. These individuals – almost exclusively men – had the means and authority to organize grand expeditions.
Meet Faten Ibrahem: Single mum and super guide for solo travelers in Egypt
As a solo mum of three, I get to shed light on what it’s like being a single woman in Egypt on my Flash Pack trips. I have a unique perspective on society and I shared lots of interesting conversations about how women here support our families through work and what our social lives look like. It’s not completely unusual to be a female guide in Egypt, but it is true that the majority of people working in the tourism industry are men.
As a female founder, self-belief is my armor in a sexist VC world
Radha Vyas 6th Mar 2024 5 min read 506 The world of venture capitalism is a brutal place for female entrepreneurs, and even more so for women of color. This is still a culture driven predominately by macho notions of success, meaning just 5% of women founders attract investment – and therefore power – for their ideas, dipping to 0.2% for Black women. As a Brown woman, and CEO of Flash Pack – a company that recently raised a $6.2M fundraising round – I’ve witnessed this struggle first-hand.
Sister act: the female trio breaking barriers in Jordan's food scene
Jordan has a very hospitable and family-oriented culture. Food is communal; it brings people together and usually the teta (grandmother) is the best cook in the house. Growing up, my two sisters and I cooked with our grandmother a lot. We started learning about Arabic food really young, guided by her years of love and experience in the kitchen.
Comuna 13 was once Medellín's most dangerous district. Until these women turned it around...
Paola Rivas 6th Mar 2024 6 min read 955 I grew up in Comuna 13, a hillside neighborhood in Medellín, Colombia. At the height of Pablo Escobar’s reign in the 1980s, it was considered one of the most dangerous places, not just in Latin America, but the entire world. The area was ruled by drug traffickers who were engaged in daily conflicts with the army, police and various guerrilla groups. Neighborhood women like me were caught up in the crossfire.
Meet Argentina's first female winemaker
Susana Balbo 6th Mar 2024 5 min read 459 As Argentina’s first female winemaker, I’ve faced a lot of challenges. I’ve had to break the stereotype that women cannot make wine or manage a vineyard. Even after I graduated as the country’s first female enologist in 1981, I struggled to find a job. Eventually, I was hired to run the Sucesión Michel Torino winery. It was a huge responsibility to be a 20-something woman in an industry that, at the time, was run almost exclusively by men.
Meet the two women behind Egypt’s first female-run food tour
Mia and I met 16 years ago at college and we’ve always been drawn to the idea of Egypt’s rich culinary heritage. Our country is revered because of its history and architecture – people come here to tick off their bucket list with ancient pyramid sites. Yet somehow our cuisine has taken a backseat: it’s simply not on the map. Travelers tend to eat in their hotel or a nearby McDonald’s – even though, as a culture, Egypt is very food-orientated.
As an outsider, Portugal welcomed me. It’s now my chance to do the same for Flashpackers
Eva Lois 6th Mar 2024 6 min read 899 Once upon a time, I myself was a visitor to Portugal. I was actually born in Spain but moved to the country five years ago after falling in love with a Portuguese man. I met Bruno on a night out while I was studying in Budapest. We had only been dating each other for three months when I decided to move back to Lisbon with him. From the moment I arrived, I felt like the city embraced me. People are so welcoming.
How Flash Pack is creating a fairer process to reward our team
Radha Vyas 31st Jan 2024 5 min read 468 Like many business founders, Lee and I have thought hard about how to help our employees feel heard and valued. We want a team culture that is rooted in transparency and fairness. That’s reflected in Flash Pack career benefits such as remote working, training and a generous pension scheme. And it’s also key to our policy around pay transparency.
Aurora Australis: have you heard about the Southern Lights?
Radha Vyas 10th Jan 2024 7 min read 1 While most of us are familiar with the dancing light spectacle of the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights), one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, in the Northern Hemisphere, the southern version hasn’t quite reached the same fanfare, despite whirling, twirling and pirouetting just as energetically. Aurora Australis (the Southern Lights) is most commonly seen in the night skies above Tasmania, New Zealand and the Antarctic.
The top 10 boutique beach hotels in Brazil
Radha Vyas 22nd Sep 2023 7 min read 990 With over 2,000 breathtaking beaches, Brazil boasts some of the world’s best boutique beach hotels. So if you’re seeking a little R&R, why not consider Brazil as your next destination? The range of accommodation options across Brazil is varied to say the least. The country is home to everything, from slick city hotels to rural pousadas.
Top year-round sunshine destinations: Where is sunny all year?
Radha Vyas 15th Sep 2023 12 min read 709 While many of us naturally seek out sunny spots for summer, it’s easy to forget about the array of destinations that offer glorious year-round sunshine. When it’s cold and miserable at home, getting away for some winter sun not only boosts our mood, but also our body’s internal clock, serotonin and energy levels.
Like many men, I neglected my friendships. Here’s how I turned them around
Lee Thompson 25th Aug 2023 8 min read 1452 As the co-founder of Flash Pack, a company focused on the foundations of lifelong friendships, I’m very aware of the realities surrounding today’s loneliness epidemic, with men in particular struggling to prioritize friends. Quite unexpectedly, I ended up falling into that camp myself, despite my life being full of love, fun and happiness.
Looking for experiences with a group of like-minded solo travellers? Meet Flash Pack
Back in 2012, I was in my 30s and thriving in my career. But as a single person, it was difficult to find like-minded people to travel with since all my friends were getting married, having kids or busy with their own respective careers. After travelling solo for many years, a friend suggested I look at joining a group tour and this was the first time I’d heard of this concept of group travel.
霊的形成運動についてダラス・ウィラードが恐れた3つのこと
青年の頃、私はキリスト教の霊的形成運動の高まりを目撃する特権にあずかった。 この運動が現代の形で始まったのは１９７８年、リチャード・フォスター氏の著書が出た時だ。『Celebration of Discipline（邦題＝スピリチュアリティ 成長への道）』は、今日まで長年にわたり、霊的訓練の標準テキストとなっている。出版から数年も経つと、それまで一度も独りでいること、静まり、黙想など聞いたこともなかったクリスチャンたちが、こうした訓練を実践するようになっていた。 すばらしいことがたくさん起こっていた。しかし、フォスター氏は、多くのクリスチャンが訓練を一人で実践しているのを見て、もう少し導きが必要だと考えた。そこで１９８８年、彼はダラス・ウィラード氏と私を含む数名に協力を求め、レノヴァーレ（ラテン語で「刷新する」）という霊的形成ミニストリーを設立した。...
‘Our Father Who Art in Heaven’ Evidence of Russian Torture
Ukrainian authorities say they have uncovered evidence of war crimes in the city of Izyum, which was occupied by Russian forces from April to September. The evidence includes mass graves, bodies buried with their hands tied behind their backs, dead children, and corpses bearing the marks of torture. In one of ten sites the Ukrainians have identified as torture chambers, an unknown prisoner scratched the Lord’s Prayer onto a stone wall in Russian.
Ancient Stone Marks China’s First Encounter with Christianity
Earlier this year, scientists announced that the Black Death had originated in the Tian Shan mountain ranges that pass through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang (China), and Uzbekistan. Evidence for this revelation came after studying DNA from human remains in two 14th-century cemeteries in Kyrgyzstan. These are well-known archaeological sites , and on one of the tombstones is an inscription in Old Uyghur indicating Nestorian Christian beliefs.
景教流行中國碑見證基督教與中國文化的最早相遇
2022年6月，歐美媒體報道，科研人員通過研究在吉爾吉斯斯坦兩座14世紀墓地中的人類遺骸體內的DNA，發現當年肆虐歐亞非大陸的黑死病可能發源於中亞天山（包括新疆）地區。這個墓地是一個著名的考古遺址，在其中的一個墓碑上，用維吾爾語刻着表明景教信仰的文字。 “景教”是什麼？ 中國人所謂的“景教”(“景”意為“光明”)，其實是基督教的一支（所謂“聶斯托里教派”），今天在西方的正式名稱是“東方亞述教會”（Assyrian Church of the East，近年伊斯蘭國在敘利亞及伊拉克殘殺的基督徒，大多認同這個教會的基督論），是由原來在教會歷史上著名的安提阿教會的部份信徒，與在羅馬帝國旁的亞述人合併成立的教會。 景教於公元5世紀建立於波斯，信徒尊稱在431年被以弗所公會判為異端（後來有很多基督徒認為是誤判）的聶斯托里為“聖徒”。該派信徒有極高的宣教熱情。景教在6世紀差遣了許多的宣教士，到中亞、漠北（蒙古）、印度、及中國傳福音，建立了非常大面積的教會。在7世紀遍及西亞和中亞，並沿着絲綢之路傳入中國后，景教曾在唐朝興盛一時，成為歷史上基督教與中華文明相遇的最早的開端。...
景教流行中国碑见证基督教与中国文化的最早相遇
2022年6月，欧美媒体报道，科研人员通过研究在吉尔吉斯斯坦两座14世纪墓地中的人类遗骸体内的DNA，发现当年肆虐欧亚非大陆的黑死病可能发源于中亚天山（包括新疆）地区。这个墓地是一个著名的考古遗址，在其中的一个墓碑上，用维吾尔语刻着表明景教信仰的文字。 “景教”是什么？ 中国人所谓的“景教”(“景”意为“光明”)，其实是基督教的一支（所谓“聂斯托里教派”），今天在西方的正式名称是“东方亚述教会”（Assyrian Church of the East，近年伊斯兰国在叙利亚及伊拉克残杀的基督徒，大多认同这个教会的基督论），是由原来在教会历史上著名的安提阿教会的部份信徒，与在罗马帝国旁的亚述人合并成立的教会。 景教于公元5世纪建立于波斯，信徒尊称在431年被以弗所公会判为异端（后来有很多基督徒认为是误判）的聂斯托里为“圣徒”。该派信徒有极高的宣教热情。景教在6世纪差遣了许多的宣教士，到中亚、漠北（蒙古）、印度、及中国传福音，建立了非常大面积的教会。在7世纪遍及西亚和中亚，并沿着丝绸之路传入中国后，景教曾在唐朝兴盛一时，成为历史上基督教与中华文明相遇的最早的开端。...
If You See Something Unjust, Say Something
I remember watching with great interest as President Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law on March 29, 2022. After 200 failed attempts over a 100-year span, legislators finally succeeded in outlawing lynching as a federal crime. My interest in the bill centered on legislators’ decision to name it in honor of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black youth from Chicago’s South Side. His 1955 lynching inspired a generation of activists for racial justice.
為什麼中國人認為基督教是一種西方文化入侵？
自從基督教（或至少是它的某種形式——景教）於公元635年進入中國以來，它一直被視為外來宗教，因此與文化認同意義上的中國人或華人（cultural Chinese）不相干。1919年五四運動中的 “多一個基督徒，少一個中國人”的口號更進一步加強和延續了這樣的誤解：一個人選擇跟隨耶穌，就意味着他放棄了自己的中國人身份，去追求一個外國或西方的神和意識形態。換言之，一個中國人向耶穌效忠，是對他的祖先和民族的一種極大的冒犯。 歷史學家吳小新認為，對中國人影響最大的宣傳是“宗教是人民的鴉片”的說法，而民族主義是造成對基督教的敵視的主要因素之一。任何熟悉19世紀中期在中國發生的歷史事件的人都會意識到這一說法所背負的歷史包袱。 與西方帝國主義的聯繫 自19世紀以來，在中國人的心目中，基督教一直與西方帝國主義相聯繫。天主教和新教的西方基督徒是和帝國主義者一起來到中國的。許多西方傳教士都是乘着歐洲鴉片商的船舶，把基督福音帶到中國來的。 例如，早期來華的新教宣教士郭實獵（Karl...
为什么中国人认为基督教是一种西方文化入侵？
自从基督教（或至少是它的某种形式——景教）于公元635年进入中国以来，它一直被视为外来宗教，因此与文化认同意义上的中国人或华人（cultural Chinese）不相干。1919年五四运动中的 “多一个基督徒，少一个中国人”的口号更进一步加强和延续了这样的误解：一个人选择跟随耶稣，就意味着他放弃了自己的中国人身份，去追求一个外国或西方的神和意识形态。换言之，一个中国人向耶稣效忠，是对他的祖先和民族的一种极大的冒犯。 历史学家吴小新认为，对中国人影响最大的宣传是“宗教是人民的鸦片”的说法，而民族主义是造成对基督教的敌视的主要因素之一。任何熟悉19世纪中期在中国发生的历史事件的人都会意识到这一说法所背负的历史包袱。 与西方帝国主义的联系 自19世纪以来，在中国人的心目中，基督教一直与西方帝国主义相联系。天主教和新教的西方基督徒是和帝国主义者一起来到中国的。许多西方传教士都是乘着欧洲鸦片商的船舶，把基督福音带到中国来的。 例如，早期来华的新教宣教士郭实猎（Karl...
Why Do Chinese Believe Christianity Is a Western Cultural Invasion?
Since Christianity (or at least some form of it, the Nestorian Church) arrived on the shores of China in A.D. 635, it has been perceived as a foreign religion and hence irrelevant for the culturally Chinese. The “One more Christian, one fewer Chinese” chant in the 1919 May Fourth Movement further reinforced and perpetuated the misconception that when one chooses to follow Jesus, one has denounced one’s Chinese identity to go after a foreign or Western god and ideology.
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