Friday, March 20, 2026

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• Remembering Dr. Ron Mullin, Waterloo's first graduate
• The Water Institute celebrates World Water Day today

• Theatre and Performance dives into The Nether

• End of term concerts begin and other notes

Remembering Dr. Ron Mullin, Waterloo's first graduate

Made it, ma! Ron Mullin was all smiles as he showed off his Master of Arts in Mathematics to his proud mother, Edna Mullin, on June 18, 1960. Photo courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, University of Waterloo Archives, Graphic Services fonds.

By Melodie Roschman. This article was originally published on the Faculty of Mathematics news site.

Dr. Ronald Mullin, the first graduate of the University of Waterloo and a pioneering member of the Faculty of Mathematics, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 6^th, 2026, in Cambridge, Ontario. He was 89.

“Ron Mullin’s connection to the University of Waterloo spanned more than six decades, beginning as the first graduate of its mathematics program and continuing as a distinguished scholar, mentor, and leader,” says Dr. Jochen Koenemann, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics. “His contributions to combinatorics and cryptography, and the many students and colleagues he inspired, form a lasting legacy that will continue to shape our community for generations."

Born in 1936, Mullin earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Western Ontario and began graduate work before being recruited to the brand-new University of Waterloo in 1959 to lecture while completing his Master of Arts. On June 18, 1960, he received an MA in Mathematics, the first degree ever awarded at Waterloo.

Mullin stayed at Waterloo for his PhD. He was an extremely promising mathematician and cryptographer, so much so that math professor Dr. Ralph Stanton used the prospect of working with him to convince Dr. William Tutte to take a job at the university. Tutte, a celebrated cryptographer and WWII hero, came to Waterloo, and supervised the remainder of Mullin’s graduate work. Mullin graduated with his PhD in 1964 and stayed at the university as a mathematics professor. An early member of the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization, he served as chair from 1975 to 1979.  

“Ron taught my first computer science class,” recalls Dr. Alfred Menezes, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in C&O, in a 2022 interview. “To him, the little details didn’t matter. He thinks about the big stuff – the important stuff…he realized the value of ideas.”

“Ron Mullin played a major role in establishing both combinatorics and cryptography as areas of research excellence within C&O,” says David Jao, chair of the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization. “As a co-founder of a leading journal (Designs, Codes and Cryptography), a major conference (SEICCGTC), and a successful company (Certicom), Ron’s work has positively touched all aspects of department life. Among his academic progeny are five C&O professors (Stinson, Vanstone, Menezes, Furino, Schellenberg), 20 students, and 220 descendants. His influence in the Canadian Research landscape is massive and he will be dearly missed.”

After retiring from the University of Waterloo, Mullin moved to Florida and enjoyed a second career at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. There he established a Cryptography Group, and worked actively until his “second retirement” in 2011.

In 2001 Mullin was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Rostock in Germany. In 2017, he became the first recipient of the Stanton Medal, which is awarded by the Institute for Combinatorics and its Applications to “honour significant lifetime contributions to promoting the discipline of combinatorics through advocacy, outreach, service, teaching and/or mentoring.”

He is survived by his beloved wife Janet (née Simpson) of 54 years, as well as his children Kimberley Kowalik (Robert) and Jaime Mullin and extended family. His family was the center of his world, and he enjoyed spending time with them in Florida and at the family cottage in Tobermory, travelling, experiencing different cultures and seeing all that the world had to offer.

Mullin is remembered as an exceptional husband and father as well as a nurturing and patient teacher with a great sense of humour. He will be dearly missed.

Cremation has taken place. A tribute to Mullin’s life will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2026. In lieu of flowers, his family has requested that donations be made to a Combinatorics and Optimization scholarship fund at Waterloo. For more information about the upcoming ceremony, as well as donation and tribute information, please visit his page on the Erb & Good Funeral Home website or visit the Ron Mullin Memorial Fund donation page from the University of Waterloo.

The Water Institute celebrates World Water Day today

Join the Water Institute on Friday, March 20, for a full-day conference exploring the United Nations World Water Day theme, Water and Gender. Hear from leading experts, discover student research and connect with the water community.

Location: Student Life Centre (SLC), Black and Gold Room
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Program highlights include:

• Keynote: Dr. Katie Meehan, Inequality and the Work Transfer of Water Poverty
• Panel discussion: Water equity and shared responsibility, featuring Susan Elliott (University of Waterloo), Sheri Longboat (Wilfrid Laurier University), Abraham Nunbogu (UNU-INWEH) and Alexa Bennett (University of Waterloo)
• Student research showcase and networking
• Collaborative Water Program Alumni Award presentation

The day concludes with the SWIGS Evening Social.

This event is free and open to the University of Waterloo community and the public. 

Limited spots remain. Register now.

Theatre and Performance dives into The Nether

The University of Waterloo’s Theatre & Performance program presents The Nether by Jennifer Haley, a gripping sci-fi crime drama that explores the consequences of living out our private dreams in a virtual world.

Jennifer Haley is an alumnus of New Dramatists in New York City, founder of the Playwrights Union in Los Angeles, and currently lives in Austin. Her play, The Nether, was produced Off-Broadway and in the West End. It has since been produced in 34 countries and translated into 19 languages.

Performances run from March 25 to March 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for students, and $5 for high-scoolers.

Post-show symposium series

Following each performance, audiences are invited to stay for a post-show symposium series that runs from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring discussions with artists, scholars, and special guests. The Symposium schedule is as follows:

• March 25: Silversides Theatre Artist Talk with playwright Jennifer Haley
• March 26: Panel on Digital Governance, Ethics, and Cultural Responsibility
• March 27: Roundtable on Digital Scholarship and Futures
• March 28: Audience talkback on Digital Creativity with the creative team

The symposium events are free to attend and offer deeper insight into the themes of The Nether.

For more information, visit The Nether website or contact the box office at 519-888-4908.

End of term concerts begin and other notes

It's that time of year already: campus musical ensembles are having their end-of-term concerts.

The Chamber Choir presents Longing & Love on Saturday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. "This term the music includes music by Bach, Canadian composer Katerina Gimon, and well known American choral composer Daniel E. Gawthorp," says a note from the music department. The Chamber Choir is directed by Dr. Mark Vuorinen.

The concert takes place at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church on 23 Water Street North in Kitchener. General admission is $10, with students paying $5. Tickets are available at the door.

Orchestra@UWaterloo goes to the Opera on Sunday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. "Together with the Grand River Opera and the University of Waterloo Choir, the orchestra will present a selection of popular opera pieces by composers such as Verdi, Puccini, and Strauss," says the music department.

The concert takes place at Knox Presbyterian Church at 50 Erb St. West in Waterloo. General admission is $10, with students paying $5. Tickets are available at the door.

Knowledge Integration Exhibitions and Senior Honours Projects wrap up on Saturday, March 21. "Each year, third year students build a museum exhibit as part of their Bachelor of Knowledge Integration capstone design project," says the Knowledge Integration program. "This year, the theme will be our Global Futures. By structuring the students' design projects around our Global Futures, students gain hands-on experience to prepare them to make a real difference in the world."

The exhibition is located in the Seigfried Hall Residence Gym at St. Jerome's University.