Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Previous | Next

• Take the new Campus Plan survey
• CareNext Collective's next event focused on AI collaboration
• Join us for the Wicked Problem of Accessibility Symposium
• Groundwater runs deep: Dr. Neil Thomson continues research and mentorship in retirement

Take the new Campus Plan survey

A message from Sam Toman, Campus Plan Communications Lead.

Just like cities have urban plans, the University of Waterloo has a Campus Plan—a long-term framework guiding how our physical spaces evolve to support learning, research, community, and sustainability. 

Your input is essential. The latest Campus Plan survey is now live, and it’s your opportunity to help shape how we design and prioritize future spaces across campus—from walkways and green spaces to classrooms, gathering areas, and accessibility upgrades. 

Following months of engagement with students, faculty, and staff, the Campus Plan team has developed early design strategies that reflect the values and priorities of our community.  

This Phase 2 survey includes proposed concepts such as: 

• A reimagined Ring Road Greenway for pedestrians and cyclists 

• New learning stations, outdoor classrooms, and innovation spaces 

• A Two Row Path that integrates Indigenous values and ecological connections 

• Stormwater gardens, rainwater reuse, and green roof strategies 

• Campus features that promote accessibility, belonging, and well-being 

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. All employees and students who participate will be entered into a draw to win one of two $50 W Store gift cards. 

Take the survey now 

The survey will remain open until Monday, August 5. Thank you for helping shape the future of our campus. 

CareNext Collective's next event focused on AI collaboration 

On Friday, July 25, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., the CareNext Collective will host a virtual event entitled, Why Readiness Matters: A Look Back at WRHN’s first AI Collaboration. The July event features a discussion on the Waterloo Regional Health Network’s (WRHN) first attempt to co-develop and implement an AI tool to support general internal medicine. While the project was ultimately not sustained, it played a pivotal role in shaping WRHEN’s current AI readiness and strategy. 

Speakers  

• Carla Girolametto, director of research, WRHN 
• Elliott McMillan, program director, medicine, WRHN 
• Jenna Merritt, clinical manager, WRHN 
• Dr. Payal Agrawal, chief medical information and innovation officer, WRHN 
• Sheena Melwani, senior deployment manager, Signal 1 

The video stream will begin on Slido at 12:00 p.m. Questions can be submitted in advance.  

Join us for the Wicked Problem of Accessibility Symposium

A message on behalf of the Teaching Innovation Incubator. 

All staff, faculty, and students are invited to the Wicked Problem of Accessibility Symposium, set to take place on Thursday, July 24 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the SLC Black and Gold Room. Registration is not required for this event.  

The Wicked Problem of Accessibility Symposium will serve as an opportunity for our campus community to engage current University of Waterloo undergraduate students participating in innovative, interdisciplinary learning opportunities, specifically through the Wicked Problem of Accessibility course.  

The Symposium will provide undergraduate students enrolled in the course to showcase their takeaways from a study term of interdisciplinary engagement and learning, providing them with the opportunity to practice an academic presentation about the novel solutions they have devised to address accessibility challenges studied in the course.  

There will be opening remarks from the three instructors of the course, Emma Littler (School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health), Ryan Tennant (School of Systems Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering), and Guiseppe Femia (Department of English Language Literature, Faculty of Arts), including reflections about their time co-designing and co-teaching the course, in addition to remarks from current students about how their understandings of the social and structural challenges that shape accessibility have evolved from intentional interdisciplinary engagement with the diverse instructor team. Fresh food and refreshments will also be provided!  

This symposium is a valuable opportunity to connect with the campus community and discuss the vital issue of accessibility. We look forward to seeing you there! For more information about the work behind the Wicked Problem of Accessibility Symposium, visit the Teaching Innovation Incubator website. 

 Groundwater runs deep: Dr. Neil Thomson continues research and mentorship in retirement

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Water Institute’s website.

Dr. Neil Thomson, internationally recognized groundwater remediation expert and long-time Water Institute member, was named Distinguished Professor Emeritus by the University of Waterloo in 2024 in recognition of his outstanding scholarly achievements and leadership. Now officially retired after more than 35 years with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr. Thomson continues to lead impactful research and mentor the next generation of environmental engineers.

Throughout his career, Dr. Thomson has shaped the field of contaminant hydrogeology—developing new approaches for investigating and remediating groundwater systems impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons and emerging contaminants like PFAS. As Director of the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Engineering Group at Waterloo and a prolific scholar with more than 300 publications, he has built a legacy of scientific excellence and international collaboration.

“Semi-retired life has given me the opportunity to choose when I want to devote energy to rewarding research endeavours and allowed me ample time for personal pursuits and leisure activities as I transition into ‘full retirement,” said Dr. Thomson.

Now operating as Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dr. Thomson remains deeply engaged in the research landscape. He continues to supervise graduate students at the University of Waterloo and elsewhere, and brings his expertise in groundwater remediation, subsurface contaminant transport, risk analysis, and multiphase flow to a wide range of projects, including through his company, N.R. Thomson and Associates Inc. His work—often grounded by experimental evidence, engineering fundamentals, and supported by advanced modelling—is regularly sought by regulatory agencies, consulting firms, and academic partners worldwide.

Among his current research efforts is a collaborative project with Elizabeth Edwards at University of Toronto exploring new ways to clean up petroleum-contaminated groundwater. The team is studying the use of activated carbon which can be injected underground to form a subsurface barrier that traps and gradually breaks down harmful chemicals. The project integrates lab experiments, field trials, and modelling to assess how well this approach works, especially in low-oxygen environments.

He’s also working with the University of Toronto and the environmental biotech company SiREM to improve “bioaugmentation”, a cleanup method that adds beneficial bacteria to help break down petroleum hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, and xylene. Dr. Thomson’s team is supporting lab and field testing and uses modelling tools to track performance underground.

Another active area of work focuses on improving the long-term immobilization of PFAS using activated carbon a collaborative project led by Dr. Anh Pham at Waterloo. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), this project involves academic and industry partners including Geosyntec Consultants and the University of Toronto, with Dr. Thomson playing a key role in experimental design and student mentorship.Read the full article on the Water Institute’s website.