News

The Assembly of First Nations Second National Climate Gathering, Preserving our Earth, Land and Water for Future Generations, took place from September 27 to 29, 2022 in Fredericton, New Brunswick on the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq and Peskotomuhkati peoples. It was an opportunity to bring together First Nations experts, leadership, youth, women, Knowledge Keepers and other professionals from across Turtle Island to work on climate change. Katherine Allaby, a Master of Environmental Studies in Geography student, supervised by Waterloo Climate Institute member, Brent Doberstein, attended the Climate Gathering and shared her key takeaways with the institute. 

On September 19, the University of Waterloo launched the Sustainable Futures initiative – a collaboration that brings together the Waterloo Climate Institute, the Water institute, and the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy to accelerate holistic approaches to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on the interconnections between energy, climate and water.

Climate Students, the Waterloo Climate Institute's student-led group that facilitates research, education, and action on climate change at the University of Waterloo, in the community, and on the global stage, is recruiting. Undergraduate and graduate students interested in an executive member role are encouraged to apply before October 14. 

The Waterloo Climate Institute has partnered with Velocity to bring you the Climate Change Hackathon - an opportunity for students to work in interdisciplinary teams to present solutions to climate change problem spaces for a chance to win $5,000! No technical skills are required. All undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to register by October 14 at 5 p.m. 

The University of Waterloo, through the Waterloo Climate Institute, is an official observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and participates in the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). This year, COP27 will take place in Egypt from November 6 to 18, 2022, and Waterloo will send a delegation of four outstanding candidates: Sarah Burch, Zahid Butt, Isra Saeed and Alexandra Ho.

Congratulations to Waterloo Climate Institute Associate Directors, Monica Emelko and Francis Poulin, as well as members Kirsten Müller, Anna Klinkova, Marek Stastna, Kevin Lam and Paul Parker for being awarded infrastructure funding by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI). 

Waterloo launches a new initiative to accelerate a sustainable future for the benefit of the environment, the economy, and society. Bringing together the Waterloo Climate Institute, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Water Institute, the Sustainable Futures initiative will accelerate holistic approaches to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on the interconnections between energy, climate and water.

The Waterloo Climate Institute has ratified a new strategic plan that will chart our course for the next five years. With this new direction, we are pleased to introduce a new logo that reflects the growth of the institute and communicates our collective strengths and purpose.

Fraser King is studying what deep learning algorithms can teach us about snow, especially annual snowfall and snowmelt in the context of climate change. In his latest study, which he undertook with a team of researchers that included Christopher Fletcher, his PhD supervisor and Waterloo Climate Institute member, he put forward his new weather modelling program under the name DeepPrecip.

Waterloo Climate Institute member, Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, has been elected a Fellow by the Royal Society of Canada for her outstanding scholarly contributions — one of Canada's highest academic honours. Congratulations! 

She is one of six University of Waterloo researchers to be honoured. In total, these five new Fellows and one new College Member are among 156 other Canadian researchers elected by their peers for outstanding scholarly, scientific, and artistic achievement announced today by the RSC.