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Reading the room

Dr. Alexander Wong, Professor of Systems Design Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Medical Imaging was recently interviewed on The Rational View podcast. Wong discusses ChatGPT, an advancement in artificial intelligence designed for chat applications.

This fall, the University of Waterloo’s Health Initiatives team launched the Graham Seed Fund (GSF) and invited researchers to submit their proposals for innovative health-care solutions. The GSF strengthens the University’s health system partnerships by providing resources for collaborating directly with a full range of health providers and clinicians.

Sugandha Sharma, a graduate of the Systems Design Engineering (SYDE) master's program and current PhD candidate at MIT discusses her research and work in the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience (CTN) on a recent episode of the Generally Intelligent podcast. While completing her master's, Sugandha worked with SYDE professor and CTN founder Dr. Chris Eliasmith. 

An innovative Industry 4.0 company, founded by four Waterloo Engineering alumni, has raised $8.1 million to enhance its capabilities in printed circuit board defect detection. 

Benjamin Ecclestone, a PhD candidate in Systems Design Engineering (SYDE), won a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship with $50,000 in annual support for three years. This prestigious federal funding will help advance his research project, “label-free histological imaging for immediate cancer diagnosis”.

On November 29, the SYDE-BME community gathered for the return of a favourite tradition, the Coffee House. This event features artistic, athletic, and comedic performances by SYDE and BME students, faculty, and staff. 

Thank you to the SYDE-BME undergraduate social reps for their work organizing the event! 

Researchers in engineering, health search for new ways to detect bone fragility, prevent fractures

Engineering and health experts at the University of Waterloo are collaborating on research that may lead to breakthroughs in preventing a serious, all-too-common injury — broken bones. 

Their findings could prove especially important to elderly people typically more prone to falls and hip fractures. In fact, understanding the mechanics of how bones weaken over time could help serve the needs of the aging population in many parts of today’s developed world. 

The Department of Systems Design Engineering (SYDE) is proud to announce that second-year SYDE student Mayurah Omkararuban is the first recipient of the Professor Igor Ivkovic Memorial Award. 

Systems Design Engineering (SYDE) alum Christopher Pratley (BASc '91) represented Microsoft at the Waterloo Engineering Alumni Achievement Medal and Award ceremony last week to accept the Friend of the Faculty Award. 

Pratley joined Microsoft a few years after graduating from Waterloo and currently serves as Corporate Vice President of media-related services, products and technologies in Office 365.