Wednesday, January 21, 2026

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• Introducing the 2026 Global Futures: Innovation Update

• Advancing experiential learning in Environment

• Winter Wonderland Pop-Up Shop at SLC
• WIN Industry Seminar Series will focus on machine learning and product discovery
• Wednesday's notes

Introducing the 2026 Global Futures: Innovation Update

A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor.

At the University of Waterloo, we ask bold questions and embrace risks. Our unconventional spirit fosters innovation and seeks solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.   

I invite you to read these inspiring stories of the Waterloo researchers, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are defying convention and leading innovation to shape our global futures. 

Read the Global Futures: Innovation Update.

Advancing experiential learning in Environment

This article was originally published on the Faculty of Environment website.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Michael O. Wood will continue serving as associate dean, work integrated learning to strengthen opportunities for students to gain first-hand insight into how technology, sustainability and disruption are reshaping work. 

Dr. Wood is an associate professor – teaching stream in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development at the University of Waterloo. He holds a Ph.D. in Strategy and Sustainability from the Ivey Business School. His research explores organizational responses to sustainability challenges across sectors, including insurance, mining, water risk and the Blue Economy, carbon management, waste management, and global security and climate change.  

Dr. Wood is also a co-principal investigator on the Global Futures Fund 1.0 project, creating Canada’s largest integrated capstone ecosystem. He is an award-winning educator, recognized with the Faculty Teaching Award and multiple Outstanding Performance Awards for excellence in teaching and service. 

As the associate dean, work integrated learning for the last three years, Dr. Wood has created opportunities for industry and students to connect, most notably be redesigning capstone courses. Traditionally, the faculties at Waterloo can seem quite siloed in terms of their organizational structure, but in 2023 the faculties of Environment, Engineering and Math teamed up to break the mold. Together, they offered the first interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone project at the University of Waterloo. 

This collaborative effort brought together 155 students from all three faculties under one jointly offered course. Over eight months, groups were formed to propose solutions to real world sustainability challenges, several of which were presented by clients. Over the last two years, i-Capstone has attracted more than 300 students from across all Waterloo’s faculties working with a broad suite of industry partners on challenges directly connected to the Global Futures. 

In 2025, Dr. Wood spearheaded the inaugural Energy Transitions Networking Forum connecting students with industry leaders and alumni working on the front lines of the energy transition. It was first event in the Faculty of Environment’s Sustainable Futures for Tomorrow’s Leaders Series; linking student talent and industry to shape a changing workforce and drive economic prosperity and sustainability.   

With this new appointment, Dr. Wood will spend the next two years working to further embed and connect our communities of scholarship, teaching and practice through initiatives like the inaugural Environment Capstone Symposium, which brings together our students to showcase and celebrate their academic work to our community within and beyond Ring Road. 

“Mike’s visionary leadership and his efforts to break down silos and foster partnerships with industry have created transformative opportunities for students to engage with environmental issues and innovation," says Dean of Environment Bruce Frayne. "We are excited for his continued leadership in shaping the future of experiential education.”

For the past 50 years, the University of Waterloo has been a leader in sustainability research and education, and the Faculty of Environment has been a catalyst for environmental innovation, solutions, and talent developed with the world, for the world. Dr. Wood’s re-appointment and continued leadership reflects our ongoing dedication to driving transformative change for people and planet.  

Winter Wonderland Pop-Up Shop at SLC

A message from Print + Retail Solutions.

W Store is bringing a Winter Wonderland Pop-Up Shop to campus on January 21 and 22, from 10 to 6, in the SLC Multipurpose Room.

The pop-up will feature brand-new UWaterloo crewnecks and zip-ups, including new collaborations with The North Face and Carhartt. These fresh styles are designed for warmth, comfort, and everyday campus wear.

The pop-up will also feature the limited-edition 2026 Lunar New Year hoodie, inspired by the Year of the Horse. This design draws from the cultural significance of Lunar New Year and celebrates this important annual tradition.

As a special bonus, the first 100 customers will receive a free gourmet chocolate mousse sweet treat, specially prepared by Catering and Event Services, while quantities last.

Stop by to shop new UWaterloo apparel and enjoy a cozy winter treat.

WIN Industry Seminar Series will focus on machine learning and product discovery

The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) is hosting Enveda data scientist Christoph A. Krettler for a talk on Thursday, January 22 at 11:00 a.m. in QNC 1501.

Recent advances in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), high-throughput screening, and machine learning are transforming small-molecule discovery. Together, they enable rapid identification of novel compounds from complex biological samples, expanding the chemical space accessible for drug discovery. Integrating high-dimensional metabolomics data with large language model driven interpretation now allows prediction of molecular structures and links to bioactivity assays. At Enveda, this approach determines the structures of previously unknown natural products in milliseconds; much faster than traditional isolation and NMR-based methods.

This talk offers a glimpse into both Enveda’s platform and the culture driving this transformation.

Christoph A. Krettler is a Senior Data Scientist at Enveda, where he contributes to building a high-throughput “chemical sequencing” platform that combines advanced instrumentation with machine learning to identify and characterize compounds at scale. He holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and has conducted research in lipidomics and computational metabolomics. Beyond his technical work, Christoph is passionate about fostering innovation in biotech talent. He has co-organized AI+Bio hackathons (in collaboration with Lux Capita / Evolved Technology) to bridge the software and life science communities, using these events to recruit and inspire top technical talent for biotechnology’s next generation.

Enveda, a biotechnology company pioneering a new era of small-molecule drug discovery. Founded in 2019, Enveda has rapidly grown into one of the fastest-emerging techbio companies. In September 2025, Enveda secured $150 million in Series D funding, achieving unicorn status and bringing its total capital raised to over $500 million. This investment accelerates its mission to advance AI-driven drug discovery and clinical programs for conditions such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity.

Wednesday's notes

This week’s Fruit and Veg Market will take place from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. on the first floor of Pearl Sullivan Engineering (formerly E7) and in the Student Life Centre’s lower atrium. As usual, $10 will net you a bag of assorted produce while supplies last.

The Wellbeing Discovery Expo, organized by Engineering Wellness, is set to run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. today.

"Explore. Engage. Empower. Join us for an interactive journey through well-being," says a note from Engineering Wellness. "The Well-being Discovery Expo  is a dynamic, interactive, booth-to-booth experience designed to help you explore key aspects of personal well-being. From mental health and nutrition to sex, sleep, and stress management, each station offers valuable resources, insights, and practical tools to support your wellness goals. There will be games, free tea, information on different well-being services and activities, and a chance to win $25 on your WatCard."

The Wellbeing Discovery Expo takes place in the 2nd floor event space in Pearl Sullivan Engineering (formerly E7). 

An event entitled Ka'satsténhsera – Unity of Hearts and Minds, is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics tonight and will feature Professor Jay Havens discussing local Haudenosaunee cultural and art history, and their new artwork marking Perimeter’s 25^thanniversary. 

Employers hosting Employer Information Sessions this week and next week include Cresta Intelligence, ElectricMind, ScotiaBank, OpenText. Next week, IndexExchange, CoLab, Bestech, FormLabs, and Standard Template Labs.

Register if you plan on attending through the Employer Information Sessions calendar on WaterlooWorks and check for any updates.