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Smartphones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives and because of their portability we bring them everywhere, but viewing information on our devices isn’t always convenient, safe or possible. 

If your phone is tucked into a briefcase, backpack, pocket or purse, it must be removed or unlocked to see a message or notification. And digging through pockets and packs is awkward during meetings, difficult when carrying items, and possibly hazardous when running, biking or exercising.

Part of being a PhD student is about confronting significant issues in a field of study. For Shenghao Yang, a second-year PhD student at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, it’s not just about tackling issues in his field, but also one of the biggest problems facing the world — COVID-19.

Xi He is an Assistant Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science and a member of the Data Systems Group. Her research interests span privacy and security for big-data management and analysis.

Most students develop an interest in technology and programming long before they begin their post-secondary education.

The path to becoming a developer, analyst or software engineer does not usually start in a computer science course at university, but in the opportunities available to students outside the classroom. One such opportunity is Hack the North — the annual hackathon sponsored by the Faculties of Mathematics and Engineering — taking place this weekend from Friday, September 17 to Sunday, September 19.

The Cheriton School of Computer Science welcomes Saptarshi Bhattacherya, Alicia Bremer, Andrew Dong, Heidi Hon, Kushal Mujral and Eric Pei — six outstanding first-year students who have distinguished themselves academically as recipients of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship. 

Researchers at the Cheriton School of Computer Science are working on new systems that increase the correctness and reliability of health-related searches.

It’s no secret that our everyday technologies gather personal data. But these increasingly entrenched conveniences, from Internet of Things–enabled smart TVs to online voting systems to crowdfunding platforms, can also perform harmful surveillance.

Knowing how tools track user behaviour and collect personal information is important. Understanding their implications for social inequality within Canada and globally is perhaps even more pressing. What’s more, the challenge demands multiple areas of expertise.

Scarcely a year goes by without smartphone, tablet and computer manufacturers releasing yet another new model. And this never-ending stream of improved digital products means that older devices are often disposed of, whether relegated to a junk drawer or traded-in, recycled, sold or donated to others. But when you dispose of a device, are you certain you’ve securely deleted all of your personal data?

University Professor M. Tamer Özsu has received the 2022 IEEE Innovation in Societal Infrastructure Award, an honour conferred for significant technological achievements and contributions that establish, develop and proliferate innovative societal infrastructure systems through the application of information technology with an emphasis on distributed computing systems.

With exceptional leadership in the field of computer science and his dedication to making computers accessible to a wider audience, James Wesley (Wes) Graham (1932–1999) was known as the “Father of Computing” at the University of Waterloo. Serving as early director of the University of Waterloo’s Computing Centre, Wes had an active role in shaping computer science education worldwide. His experience teaching at Waterloo inspired the creation of software to support education.