Wednesday, April 23, 2025

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• Waterloo signs MoU with City University of Hong Kong to strengthen academic and research ties

• Measuring methane to protect communities
• GreenHouse’s 34th Social Impact Showcase celebrated student-led innovation
• SEE Canada brown bag session and other bits and bites

Waterloo signs MoU with City University of Hong Kong to strengthen academic and research ties

Bessma Momani, associate vice-president, international, Charmaine Dean, vice-president, research and international Anderson H.C. Shum, vice-president (research) from CityUHK and Alfred Yu, assistant vice-president, research and international with the signed MOU documents. 

A message from the Office of Research.

On April 11, City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Waterloo to enhance academic and research collaboration, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in various fields. The MoU was signed by Anderson H.C. Shum, vice-president (research) from CityUHK, Charmaine Dean, vice-president, research and international and Bessma Momani, associate vice-president, international.

Under this newly formed partnership, the two universities will leverage their academic strengths and drive research innovation globally by exploring collaborative opportunities in a wide array of areas, including developing joint academic and research activities, promoting joint training opportunities for graduate students, enhancing mobility of faculty, staff, and students for academic and research activities, and exchanging information and results of research collaboration.

Additionally, Dr. Shum was in Waterloo to participate in panels at the Times Higher Education Digital Health Summit and to introduce CityUHK as the host of the Digital Health Summit Asia 2025.

Measuring methane to protect communities

By Clarissa Charles. This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

Waterloo researchers are at the forefront of responding to the climate crisis with purpose-driven research and technology, including an interdisciplinary team who are in the field measuring methane emissions to support Canada’s net-zero gas emissions goals. 

Methane is a very powerful greenhouse gas — approximately 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 20-year period. It also has far shorter lifetime compared to CO2, which means that methane emissions must be reduced urgently to avoid the worst outcomes of climate change, like natural disasters, forest fires, heat death and starvation. Addressing this problem requires an understanding of where methane comes from, how to measure it and how to reduce it. Researchers across the faculties of Science, Environment, Mathematics and Engineering have come together to tackle this critical issue. 

Among other cutting-edge instruments, the team deploys a hyperspectral camera, also known as a “Hyper-Cam,” developed by Quebec City-based Telops. Unlike a normal camera, which makes a single image, the Hyper-Cam makes hundreds of images of the same scene, but each at a different wavelength. At the heart of the instrument is a high-speed infrared camera that works fast enough to visualize the wind moving across a field through the absorption of ambient water vapour.

The research team, led by Dr. Kyle Daun, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, is using the Hyper-Cam to help the Region of Waterloo to measure methane emissions at their Erb Street landfill site. Landfills contribute to 20 per cent of Canada’s methane emissions, the majority through hotspots — areas of a landfill that have considerably higher levels of methane. At the same time, a team of researchers led by Dr. Laura Hug in the Department of Biology studies the microbes living in the soil and the impact of the hotspots on those organisms.

Read the rest of this article on Waterloo News.

GreenHouse’s 34th Social Impact Showcase celebrated student-led innovation

By Davandra Earle. This article was originally published on United College's website.

The 34^th GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase, held last Wednesday at United College, brought together over 50 community members and social innovators from across the University of Waterloo and the broader community. The event highlighted student entrepreneurs committed to tackling pressing global and local challenges, with four standout ventures receiving funding to propel their initiatives forward. 

Director of GreenHouse, Tania Del Matto, reflected on the event’s impact, stating, "As our flagship event, the Social Impact Showcase celebrates the inspiring spirit of our changemaker community while creating valuable opportunities for students and community members to forge meaningful connections for future collaboration." 

A look at the winning ventures receiving Social Impact funding 

$1,500 award winners 

One of the first pitches of the evening came from Amelia Upper, a student from the Faculty of Environment, whose project, Restoration Raw Materials, was awarded $1,500. Amelia shared how her co-op experience in ecological restoration sparked her idea: rather than allowing removed invasive species to re-establish themselves, she proposed transforming the biomass into raw materials like lumber and particle board. The project aims to support sustainable material use while aiding environmental restoration efforts. 

Another $1,500 award went to Mitziana Pillai, a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) student, for her project The Cloud Catchers. She captivated the audience with her innovative approach to water scarcity in Nepal, where landslides and flooding have severely damaged water supply systems. Her modular, 3D fog collectors are designed to withstand strong winds and require less space than traditional models. With her funding, she hopes to launch a pilot project in Nepal to bring reliable water access to remote communities. 

$3,000 award winners 

Nicholas Cheng, from the School of Pharmacy, took home one of the $3,000 awards for his company Evolv Biotech Inc. and its groundbreaking solution, Aqua Potential. His innovation uses advanced nanoparticles to clean toxic tailings ponds in the oil and mining industries, reducing cleanup time from decades to hours. 

Olivia Vento, a student of Psychology and Medical Physiology, was also awarded $3,000 for her project Piece of Mind. Olivia’s heartfelt pitch focused on improving cognitive function and social connection among seniors through puzzles designed specifically for them. Her goal is to combat loneliness and enhance the quality of life for older adults, and she plans to use the funding to develop prototypes and test them in retirement homes and senior centres.

In addition to the top awards, four students were recognized with Changemaker Awards, each receiving $250 for their contributions to social innovation. 

Principal of United College, Rick Myers, expressed his pride in GreenHouse’s continued impact, stating, "It is truly inspiring to see the passion and creativity of these students as they tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. GreenHouse continues to be a catalyst for meaningful change, empowering students to turn their ideas into impactful solutions”. 

For students interested in making social or environmental change, the GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase is held every fall and winter term. To learn more and start your own venture, visit the United College website. 

SEE Canada brown bag session and other bits and bites

"A Staff Enhancement Experience (SEE) Canada Grant virtual brown-bag lunch and learn is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 at noon," says a note from Human Resources. "Join us to learn more about this free innovative learning experience for regular, full-time staff members and consider applying for this amazing career opportunity."

Detailed application information and forms are available on the SEE Canada Grant webpage. For any inquiries regarding the grant, please contact d.baker@uwaterloo.ca.

Register today!

The AIMday Materials Workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. today in the Science Teaching Complex.

"This is a unique opportunity for researchers to collaborate with top companies, tackle real-world challenges, and explore innovations in materials science," event organizers say. "AIMday connects industry and academic researchers in fast-paced, small group meetings to discuss and solve specific challenges"

W3+ is hosting a Listening Session on the University's operating budget today from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.  "Join W3+ in a supportive space to discuss and debrief UW's budget," says the event announcement. "This is a confidential, peer-to-peer forum for sharing information, questions, and strategies across ranks and roles. A catered lunch will be provided. Registration is required."

The event is open to all women and nonbinary faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and staff.