A team of University of Waterloo Civil and Environmental Engineering students recently secured third place at the CSCE National Capstone Competition in Quebec City, standing out among 15 teams from across Canada.
Team Kawartha Hydraulics, made up of Andrew Swinoga, Jason Du, Benjamin Searson, and Ben Aylward, took an unconventional approach for a civil engineering competition with their project. Instead of focusing on traditional infrastructure design, the team developed a turbulent velocity barrier aimed at protecting ecosystems in the Kawartha Lakes by preventing invasive northern pike from entering and disrupting native muskie populations. The design combined fluid dynamics modelling in Ansys with ecological and fish biology considerations, highlighting the growing importance of interdisciplinary engineering solutions.
The team’s achievement reflects a year of intensive work and collaboration, supported by faculty advisors including Prof. Bill Annable, Prof. Bryan Tolson, and Dr. Nadine Ibrahim.
Beyond the technical success, the team also emphasized the personal journey behind the win, noting the challenges of imposter syndrome and the persistence required to navigate a demanding engineering program.
The podium finish marks a strong conclusion to five years of study and underscores the impact Waterloo engineering students are making on complex, real-world problems.
Full Kawartha Hydraulics team pictured at our 2026 Capstone Design Symposium back in March.
Benjamin Searson and Ben Aylward, at the 2026 CSCE National Capstone Competition in Quebec City.
All the student groups present at the 2026 CSCE National Capstone Completion.
