Faculty

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Remembering Professor Wayne Chang

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business joins the University of Waterloo community in remembering Dr. Wayne Chang, an inspiring teacher, mentor and entrepreneurial champion whose optimism, creativity and compassion shaped generations of students and founders.

An associate professor and coordinator of the Enterprise Co-op (E Co-op) program, Wayne was known for his infectious positivity and unwavering dedication to helping others realize their potential. His influence continues to define the culture of creativity, collaboration and confidence at the Conrad School.

Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business research faculty member Professor Shavin Malhotra has co-authored a paper accepted to the Journal of Management, one of the Financial Times (FT) Top 50 journals. 

 
The paper, titled “Risk Sharing in Government Contracting: Strategic Alliances as Safeguards in Government Supplier Relationships,” explores how firms that rely on U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts manage the unique risks of doing business with powerful government buyers. 

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is proud to announce the launch of the Academy of Research Commercialization (ARC), a new initiative designed to empower University of Waterloo doctoral students in turning deep-tech discoveries into investor-ready ventures.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Student Entrepreneur Networking Lunch

Join us for a dynamic lunchtime gathering at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business on Wednesday, September 10 at 12:00 noon.

This is your chance to connect with fellow students who are building ventures, hear from recent alumni founders, and exchange ideas about the entrepreneurial journey. Whether you’re already working on a startup, curious about launching your own venture, or simply eager to meet like-minded innovators, this event is for you!

Enjoy great conversation, fresh inspiration, and a delicious lunch—on us!

Come for the food, leave with new ideas and connections.

Limited spots available: register today!


We are official event hosts with Waterloo Tech Week 2025, a celebration of what’s been built here, and what’s still to come. We’re building something great together. September 8-11, 2025. waterlootechweek.ca

Dr. Nada Basir, Associate Professor at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, is the lead author of a forthcoming Feature Article in the Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP) — one of the Financial Times Top 50 academic journals in the world. 

The paper, titled “Disrupted Selves in Transition: How Women Navigate Fertility Treatments in the Context of Work,” co-authored with Dr. Jamie Ladge (Boston College) and Dr. Serena Sohrab (Ontario Tech University), examines how deeply personal experiences can shape, and at times unsettle, one’s professional identity. 

For Ameya Kale (MBET '22), entrepreneurship began not in a classroom, but in the kitchens of home chefs across India. After launching a home-cooked meal delivery platform, he found himself captivated by the startup world, but acutely aware of how much more there was to learn. 

“I was drawn to the Waterloo region’s vibrant startup ecosystem and the MBET program’s reputation for blending academic insight with real-world application,” he says. “I wanted to immerse myself in a community where I could learn how to navigate early-stage ventures more effectively.” 

Ameya’s goal coming into the program was clear: find his footing in a product-focused role, help shape solutions from the ground up, and connect with other founders to better understand the entrepreneurial journey. 

Friday, August 1, 2025 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Problem Pitch Competition: Spring 2025

Join us for the Problem Lab's Problem Pitch Spring 2025 Competition hosted and sponsored by the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business.

The Quantum Valley Investments® Problem Pitch competitions challenge students to research an important problem and pitch their research to a panel of judges. Funding of $7,500 is awarded to support the student team that demonstrates the most thorough understanding of their chosen problem to develop a solution.

The Student Teams FINALISTS are:
$Billion Problem category

  • Citrus - A. Amechi, Engineering
  • Falcon - I. Tan, Environment, D. Hood, Mathematics, M. Zhang, Engineering
  • Evolv - N. Cheng, Science


Open Problem category

  • ClickNShare - H. So, Health
  • The Trust Gap - A. Salsali, A. Garcia Polo, Engineering
  • Systemic Financial Infrastructure - J. Jin, Mathematics


Register today to secure your spot on Friday, August 1!

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is proud to announce that Professor Sharlene He has been awarded a 2025 Insight Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for her project, “The Psychology of Innovation with Generative AI: Understanding Human Ideation Processes.”

Silas Ifeanyi came to Waterloo with industry experience and a passion for entrepreneurship. Through BE 600: Management and Leadership at the Conrad School, he refined his leadership style and now applies those lessons every day as an Engineering Educational Developer at the Pearl Sullivan Engineering IDEAs Clinic.

From leading student teams to driving innovation in nanotechnology and MedTech, Silas is a prime example of how technical expertise + entrepreneurial mindset = real impact.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Celebrating Excellence in Teaching

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business in the Faculty of Engineering is proud to share that Professor Chris Holt has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Performance Award!

This award is a reflection of the energy, drive, and passion Professor Holt brings to the classroom. His dedication to student learning, his ability to make complex concepts accessible, and his commitment to fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment make him a standout educator at Waterloo.