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Craig Kaplan named 2025 Fields Institute Fellow
This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Cheriton School of Computer Science.
Professor Craig S. Kaplan has been named a 2025 Fellow of the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, an honour that recognizes his exceptional contributions to mathematics.
Established in 2002 to mark the Institute’s 10th anniversary, the Fields Institute Fellow designation celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to mathematics and in advancing the Institute’s mission. Each year, a select group of distinguished researchers is named to this prestigious fellowship.
“I’m very pleased to hear that Craig has been named a Fellow of the Fields Institute,” said Raouf Boutaba, University Professor and Director of the Cheriton School of Computer Science. “Over his career, he has made many contributions to mathematics, computational geometry and computer graphics, often exploring their intersections with art. Most recently, Craig’s research gained international attention through his co-discovery and computational proof of an aperiodic monotile, a breakthrough in tiling theory that captured the imagination of the mathematical community and public alike.”
Dr. Kaplan, a Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, is interested in a broad range of interdisciplinary topics, with a particular focus on interactions between mathematics and art. He uses mathematical ideas to create tools and algorithms that generate ornamental patterns, and that empower artists and designers. His work frequently incorporates knowledge from computer graphics, classical and computational geometry, human-computer interaction, graph theory, symmetry and tiling theory, and perceptual psychology. In addition to his research, Professor Kaplan serves as the associate editor of the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, and serves on the board of the Bridges Organization, which oversees the annual Bridges conference.
Exploring mathematics, computer science and art
The hat and the spectre: Solving a six-decade puzzle in tiling theory. Professor Kaplan’s most celebrated accomplishment is the 2023 co-discovery and proof of an aperiodic monotile. Dubbed the hat, the 13-sided shape fills the infinite plane without gaps or overlaps, in a pattern that not only never repeats but — importantly — cannot be made to repeat. This breakthrough solved the long-standing ein stein or “one stone” problem in tiling theory, an open question for more than 60 years.
Professor Kaplan’s involvement began when David Smith, a self-described shape enthusiast, contacted him about a promising shape with apparent aperiodic properties. Together with collaborators Joseph Samuel Myers and Chaim Goodman-Strauss, the team solved the ein stein problem and published their proofs in a paper titled “An aperiodic monotile.” This paper was followed shortly by “A chiral aperiodic monotile,” which demonstrated that a related family of shapes, called spectres, tile the plane aperiodically using translations and rotations alone, meeting an even stricter definition of aperiodicity.
The ein stein discovery drew worldwide interest, with extensive coverage in media outlets including the New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, New Scientist, Phys.org, Smithsonian Magazine, Quanta Magazine and Scientific American. TIME magazine named the hat as one of the best inventions of 2023, a striking example of how mathematical discoveries can resonate far beyond academia.
The public celebrated the discovery through vibrant online discussion and events such as Hatfest, a conference exploring the aperiodic monotile convened at the University of Oxford’s Mathematical Institute. As co-author Chaim Goodman-Strauss observed, “What was so moving and significant to me was that people made this their own. They took on the hat as something they owned and that they will pass on and share with other people. It’s absolutely unique, in my experience, for a mathematical result to have a cultural life like that.”
The discovery continues to receive accolades. In a 2025 issue of BBC Science Focus magazine spotlighting the most significant breakthroughs of the century so far, Sir David Spiegelhalter described the solution to the ein stein problem as “the most important mathematical breakthrough of this century.”
Read the full article on the School of Computer Science website.
Outstanding Performance Award winners named
"I am very pleased to announce the Outstanding Performance Award recipients for 2024 and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate them for their outstanding contributions to the University of Waterloo," wrote former Vice-President, Academic and Provost James Rush in a memo on June 24.
Faculty of Arts
Mahiye Secil Dagtas; Riemer Faber; Shana MacDonald; Thomas Parker; Jean-Paul Lam; George Lamont; Jennifer Clary-Lemon; Stacy Denton; Tara Cooper; Nicole Nolette; Barbara Schmenk; Susan Roy; Laura Mae Lindo; Daniel Henstra; Allison Kelly; Daniel Smilek; Myra Fernandes; Ori Friedman; Lisa Pynenburg; Timothy Bauer; Krista Fiolleau; Janice Aurini; and Daniel Harley.
Faculty of Engineering
Sarah Meunier; Pendar Mahmoudi; Emelko Monica; Scott Walbridge; Christopher Holt; Kankar Bhattacharya; Lan Wei; Mahla Poudineh; William Bishop; Yash Vardhan Pant; Young Ki Yoon; Sirisha Rambhatla; Sibel Alumur Alev; Kevin Musselman; Stewart McLachlin; XiaoYu Wu; Jean-Pierre Hickey; Michael Benoit; David Fortin; Linda Zhang; Nasser Lashgarian Azad and Nima Maftoon.
Faculty of Environment
Christine Barbeau; Peter Crank; Brent Doberstein; Merrin Macrae; Chantel Markle-Perricone; Leia Minaker; Prateep Nayak; Jason Thistlethwaite; Johanna Wandel; Jeffrey Wilson; Michael Wood; and Clarence Woudsma.
Faculty of Health
Heather Keller; Steve Fischer; Bryan Grimwood; Zara Rafferty; Zahid Butt; Dave Hammond; and Helen Chen.
Faculty of Mathematics
Jun Liu; Joseph West; Jennifer Nelson; Toshiya Hachisuka; Xi He; Florian Kerschbaum; Ondrej Lhotak; Shane McIntosh; Victoria Sakhnini; Jian Zhao; Bertrand Guenin; Chaitanya Swamy; Jordan Hamilton; Peter Wood; Blake Madill; Rahim Moosa; Jun Cai; Ali Ghodsi; Mario Ghossoub; Erik Hintz; and Aukosh Jagannath.
Faculty of Science
Paul Craig; Juewen Liu; Andrea Brookfield; Brian Kendall; David Hawthorn; Kazi Rajibul Islam; Dmitry Pushin; Richard Marta; Roger Melko; Chelsea Bray; Vivian Choh; William Ngo; Olivia Ricci; Cynthia Richard; and William Wong.
Congratulations all on this outstanding achievement.
Effective May 1, 2005, in accordance with the 2003 Faculty Salary Settlement, the University of Waterloo established an Outstanding Performance Fund to reward faculty members for outstanding contribution in teaching and scholarship.
Midterm Meltdown tomorrow and other notes
WUSA's student services will be hosting an aptly-named Midterm Meltdown for undergraduate students tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the SLC green space. Free ice cream and frozen treats will be available for students while supplies last. Make sure you have your WatCards handy, students!
Velocity's Startup 101 series continues with How Recent Grads Are Shaping the Future of Healthcare tomorrow from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in MC 2065. This session will feature "the bold and inspiring journeys of recent graduates who are transforming their ideas into impactful startups. This panel brings together emerging founders who are redefining what’s possible in health innovation - from AI-powered diagnostics to patient-centered care platforms."
Link of the day
Pour one out for the Jersey Milk bar
When and where
The Campus Wellness Student Medical Clinic offers healthcare visits with Physicians and Nurse Practitioners to current undergraduate and graduate students. Services include: vaccinations, immunity testing, naturopathic services and more. Counselling Services offers appointments with counsellors in person as well as via phone and video. Students can book appointments for these services by calling Campus Wellness at 519-888-4096.
The privately-run Student Health Pharmacy (located in the lower level of the Student Life Centre) is now offering new COVID booster shots and flu shots. Covid booster shorts are available by appointment only – please call ext. 33784 or 519-746-4500. The Student Health Pharmacy’s summer hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Naloxone kits are still available – pick them up in the pharmacy at no charge.
BioBlitz 2025 Guided Walks, Monday, July 7 to Friday, July 11.
BioBlitz 2025 Independent identification, Monday, July 7 to Friday, July 11.
IBPOC Student Writing Cafés, Tuesday, July 8, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., SCH 228F.
Midterm Meltdown, Wednesday, July 9, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., SLC green space.
Startup 101: How Recent Grads Are Shaping the Future of Healthcare, Wednesday, July 9, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., MC 2065.
Virtual WISE Public Lecture, “Ending Energy-Induced Poverty: The Search for Net Positive Use Value” by Clark A. Miller, Professor and Director, Center for Energy & Society, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, Thursday, July 10, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., via Zoom. Register today.
WIN Distinguished Lecture with Prof. Shuk Han CHENG | Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, “Curiosity-Driven Research on Nanomaterials Led to Unexpected Societal Impact”, Thursday, July 10, 2:00 p.m. QNC 1501
Practice Difficult Conversations with Ovation VR, Thursday, July 10, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dana Porter Library, LIB 407. To register, email Lynn Long at l3long@uwaterloo.ca.
Bike Fair 2025, Friday, July 11, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Dana Porter Arts Quad.
Lunch and learn: Menstruation and Mental Health, Monday, July 14, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., online.
Buckthorn Pull, Tuesday, July 15, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, meet between Village 1 - South 3 Building and the forest.
IBPOC Student Writing Cafés, Tuesday, July 15, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., South Campus Hall (SCH 228F).
In-person Grad Writing Cafés, Wednesday, July 16, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Student Life Centre (SLC 3216).
Integrated Accessibility Retreat (CTE7032), Thursday, July 17, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., MC2036.
University of Waterloo Choir end of term concert, Saturday, July 19, 7:30 p.m., Trillium Lutheran Church, 22 Willow Street, Waterloo. $5 students/$10 general, tickets available at the door.
Quo Vadis: Orchestra@UWaterloo,Sunday, July 20, 7:30 p.m., Knox Presbyterian Church, 50 Erb St. West Waterloo. Free admission.
Brave Space Conversations, A Care-Centered Approach to Navigating Difficult Dialogues Through an EDI-R Lens, Wednesday, July 23, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., online. Register.
The Co-op Workplace Simulation, Wednesday, July 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Dana Porter Library Learning Lab room 323.
Shad Waterloo 2025 Open Day Exhibits, Thursday, July 24, 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel University Great Hall.
WIN Distinguished Lecture with Prof. Orlando Rojas | Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology | University of Waterloo, "The Role of Bio-Based Colloids in Gelation Technologies and Green Interfaces," Thursday, July 24, 2:00 p.m., QNC 1501.
PhD oral defences
Psychology. Vanja Vidovic, "Towards an Understanding of Social Anxiety and Close Friendships: The Role of Expectations, Negative Self Portrayal Concerns, and the Discrepancy Gap." Supervisor, Dr. David Moscovitch. Available upon request from the Faculty of Arts, Graduate Studies and Research Officer. Oral defence Monday, July 21, 10:00 a.m., PAS 3026.
History. Kristin Hall, "Selling Character: Trade Papers, Modernity, and The Maclean Publishing Company, 1887-1910s." Supervisor, Dr. Jane Nicholas. Available upon request from the Faculty of Arts, Graduate Studies and Research Officer. Oral defence Monday, July 21, 1:00 p.m., PAS 2464.
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. Connor Toppings, "Boundary Layer Transition on Airfoils and Wings in Unsteady Low-Reynolds Number Flows." Supervisor, Dr. Serhiy Yarusevych. Thesis available via SharePoint - email eng.phd@uwaterloo.ca to request a copy. Oral defence Monday, July 21, 1:00 p.m., ERC 3012.
School of Public Health Sciences. Natalie Doan, "Investigating socioeconomic inequities in diet quality among adults in Canada using an intersectional approach." Supervisors, Dr. Martin Cooke, Dr. Dana Lee Olstad. Email Health graduate administration for a copy. Oral defence Monday, July 21, 2:00 p.m., remote.
Geography and Environmental Management. Maryam Bayatvarkeshi, “Hydroclimatic influence of seismic line disturbances based on field measurements and modelling across Alberta, Canada”. Supervisors, Maria Strack; Scott Ketcheson. Available upon request from the Faculty of Environment, Administrator, Graduate Studies. Oral defence Tuesday, July 22, 1:00 p.m.
Upcoming service interruptions
Stay up to date on service interruptions, campus construction, and other operational changes on the Plant Operations website. Upcoming service interruptions include:
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Psychology, Anthropology, and Sociology (PAS) building southeast corner exterior stair closure, Friday, June 20 to Friday, July 18, exterior stair to the 2nd floor podium/seating area will be closed for the duration of the shutdown, pedestrian access will be directed around the construction activity.
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Modern Languages washroom closure, Saturday, June 21 to Friday, August 1, washrooms ML-112 and ML-118 will be temporarily closed for upgrades, please use the nearest available washrooms located at ML-251 and ML-252.
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MC second floor closure (NE Corner: Loading Dock 2039, Corridor 2078, 2097), Monday, June 23 to July 28 (approximately)
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E2 (building 002, library wing) steam shutdown, Tuesday, July 8, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., during this time there will be a steam shutdown to accommodate meter installation, steam and hot water will not be available for the duration of the shutdown.
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Laneway between E3 and E2 closed for borehole testing, Tuesday, July 8, 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon, zone will be blocked off with flag personnel present to direct traffic, there may be an impact to waste pick-up due to limited access.
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E2 (building 002, office wing only) steam shutdown, Wednesday, July 9, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., steam will be shut down to accommodate a meter installation, steam and hot water will not be available for the duration of the shutdown.
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RCH steam shutdown, Thursday, July 10, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., there will be a steam shutdown to accommodate meter installation, steam and hot water will not be available for the duration of the shutdown.
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Engineering 2 (E2) and Engineering 3 (E3) electrical shutdown,
Monday, July 14, Monday, July 21, 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., all power will be off in E3 except for the GAIA Lab, 600v power will be off in E2, all air handling units in E2 will be affected during the shutdown. Please note the new date. -
Needles Hall steam shutdown (addition portion of building only), Wednesday, July 16, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., there will be a steam shutdown to accommodate meter installation, steam and hot water will not be available for the duration of the shutdown.
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Needles Hall steam shutdown (original portion of building only), Thursday, July 17, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., there will be a steam shutdown to accommodate meter installation, steam and hot water will not be available for the duration of the shutdown.
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Engineering 2 (E2) and Engineering 3 (E3) electrical shutdown,
Friday, July 18Wednesday, July 30, from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., all power will be off in E3 except for the GAIA Lab, 600v power will be off in E2, all air handling units in E2 will be affected during the shutdown. Please note the new date.