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Incoming computer science master’s students Alex Bie, Matt Regehr, Xinyu Shi and Yiping Wang have each received a Vector Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence from the Vector Institute. Valued at $17,500, these merit-based scholarships help recruit top students into AI-related master’s programs in an Ontario university. 

The research paper on which this feature article is based will be presented on May 12, 2021 at CHI 2021, where it received a best paper honourable mention. 

CHI is the premier international conference on human–computer interaction. Held from May 8 to 13, 2021, the 2021 ACM CHI Virtual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems was originally slated to be held in Yokohama, Japan.

Dr. Nashid Shahriar has won the 2021 Mathematics Doctoral Prize. Now in its third year, these prestigious awards are conferred annually to recognize the achievements of top graduating and graduated doctoral students in the Faculty of Mathematics.

Cheriton School of Computer Science Professor Kate Larson and her international colleagues have published a commentary in Nature about the need for cooperative artificial intelligence — beneficial AI with social understanding.

Eliciting curiosity — the intrinsic desire to explore and to find new information — enhances learning, promotes information-seeking and improves memory. Understanding how to elicit and maintain curiosity in students could help us design educational robots that stimulate interest, engagement and a quest for knowledge.

Recent PhD graduates Mike Schaekermann, Hong Zhou and Fiodar Kazhamiaka have each received a Cheriton Distinguished Dissertation Award. Established in 2019, the dissertation award was created to recognize excellence in computer science doctoral research. In addition to the prestigious recognition, each awardee receives a cash prize of $1000.

PhD candidate Ahmed Alquraan is one of 16 recipients internationally and the only recipient from Canada to receive a prestigious 2021 IBM PhD Fellowship. Established in 1951, these intensely competitive fellowships have supported thousands of PhD students over seven decades.

Two teams from the University of Waterloo, each with a triad of exceptional programmers, competed virtually on April 22, 2021 at the East Division of the 2021 International Collegiate Programming Contest’s North America Division Championships.

Each year, the University of Waterloo honours and recognizes its dedicated faculty and staff by celebrating their milestones of distinguished service. 

Waterloo faculty and staff who have served between 5 and 50 years were honoured across a series of virtual events to recognize their contributions and tireless efforts that have shaped the success of the university. These virtual events celebrated the 501 people who began employment at the University of Waterloo between 1971 and 2016. 

Computer science students were among the finalists at Concept’s $5K pitch competition, an event held live but virtually on March 26, 2021.

Concept is Velocity’s experiential entrepreneurship and pre-incubator program at the University of Waterloo. Acting as a resource to students interested in entrepreneurship, Concept guides them on how to propel their start-up through programs, coaching and grant-funding opportunities.