Thursday, April 9, 2026

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• The evolution of Environment’s Geomatics program

• Prof receives funding from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to develop modular AI system

• Racial trauma isn’t always visible, but its impact is

The evolution of Environment’s Geomatics program

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

The University of Waterloo is announcing an important evolution in one of its longstanding academic programs: the transition from Geomatics to Geospatial Data Science. This change reflects more than a shift in terminology. It marks the University’s response to technological, industrial and educational transformations that have reshaped the field over the past two decades.

As geospatial technologies have expanded from traditional surveying into advanced GIS, remote sensing, spatial analytics and data-driven environmental applications, the program has evolved accordingly. While surveying remains a part of the program, the dominant interest amongst students and faculty within Geomatics is in the geospatial data science aspects (GIS, remote sensing and geospatial analysis). These are the elements for which our program and graduates are known for and creates the core of our disciplinary identity. Therefore, the new name aligns the curriculum with the modern tools, methods and career pathways that now define the discipline, ensuring that students, employers and partners clearly understand the program’s contemporary focus and strengths. 

At Waterloo, the re-branding of Geomatics to Geospatial Data Science better reflects what is taught in our program where students complete courses in geospatial data science, geography, environmental studies, computer science and math. Geospatial data science explicitly deals with the acquisition and analysis of geospatial data and its adoption for environmental, policy and planning applications. For several years now, our introductory course for Geomatics students has been named Geospatial Data Science as an attempt to better communicate to our first-year class the specifics of the plan they are embarking on. Going one step further to change the degree name to Geospatial Data Science will:   

• Better reflect the nature of our teaching and learning expertise in Geography and Environmental Management (GIS, remote sensing, geospatial analysis, environmental and policy applications).

• Better resonate with high school students who are interested in the environmental applications of geospatial data science.

• Better serve students by incorporating professor's research applications into lesson planning.

• Better prepare students for co-op positions, so potential employers have a clear sense of the training the student has received.

• Enable us to better leverage our research applications into teaching.

• Maintain a strong link with industry partners which students can leverage through co-op and post-graduation.

For the past 50 years, the University 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. The shift to Geospatial Data Science is the latest step in this ongoing work, reflecting both how far the field has advanced and the University’s commitment to preparing students for the rapidly growing world of geospatial analytics and environmental applications. Now approved, the new program name will go into effect this September 2026. 

Have questions about the transition? Email us at envinfo@uwaterloo.ca and if you applied to Geomatics, watch this video to get answers to the most common questions.   

Prof receives funding from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to develop modular AI system

This article originally appeared on the Cheriton School of Computer Science website.

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has awarded resources equivalent to $250,000 to Professor Ana Crisan through its Cancer Digital Intelligence team, supporting her research under the 2025–26 Grand Challenge: From AI Algorithm to Implementation.

The resources will support MedDataOS: A Human-Centered Multi-Agent Framework for Biomedical Data Analysis, a research project led by Professor Crisan that aims to develop a multi-agent AI system to integrate and analyze clinical data on head and neck cancers. Support from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is provided as in-kind resources, and includes project management, analyst, developer and data scientist expertise.

“Congratulations to Ana on receiving this support to help improve healthcare outcomes for patients with cancer,” said Raouf Boutaba, University Professor and Director of the Cheriton School of Computer Science. “This award is an important part of Waterloo’s recent partnership with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. It brings together Ana’s strengths in data visualization and artificial intelligence with Princess Margaret’s clinical expertise to create a collaborative tool to integrate patient data.”

Ana Crisan is an Assistant Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science. Her interdisciplinary research lies at the intersection of human–computer interaction, data visualization, and applied AI and machine learning, with a focus on developing human-centered, transparent and trustworthy AI systems. She also designs interactive visualization tools to support data-driven decision-making and applies data science and visualization to advance research in medicine, healthcare and public health.

She leads the Intelligent Systems for Guided, Human-Centered Technology (INSIGHT) Lab, a research team advancing the next generation of intelligent systems that empower people to make complex, data-driven decisions.

Racial trauma isn’t always visible, but its impact is

A message from the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Office (EDI-R).

What happens when an experience lingers not just in memory, but in your body? When everyday moments shift how safe you feel in a space?
 

Racial trauma is the cumulative impact of racism on the body, mind and dignity. It is ongoing, shaped by daily interactions and institutional and systemic inequities, and it can influence how you feel, respond, and move through the world. As long as racism and discrimination continue to exist within our institutions, racial trauma cannot be fully resolved at the individual level alone.

The Healing from Racial Trauma workshop is designed by Jennisha Wilson and Mifrah Abid, from the Office of EDI-R, to support that process. Open to racialized students, staff, and faculty, this session offers a supportive space to better understand how racial stress manifests and to learn practical strategies for grounding, self-awareness, and care. No personal sharing is required.

Register today.