Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Waterloo accounting research ranked third in the world
A message from the School of Accounting and Finance.
An experimental managerial accounting group at the University of Waterloo's School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) has reached its highest international ranking ever, placing third globally in research productivity according to the 2025 BYU Accounting Rankings — ahead of institutions including Cornell University.
Published by Brigham Young University, the BYU Accounting Rankings are a widely recognized benchmark of research productivity among accounting programs worldwide. The 2025 results reflect output over both the past six and 12 years and recognize the sustained contributions of six SAF faculty members: Dr. Tim Bauer, Dr. Krista Fiolleau, Dr. Kelsey Matthews, Dr. Adam Presslee, Dr. Tyler Thomas and Dr. Adam Vitalis.
At its core, this research is about something every organization grapples with: why people don't always behave as systems expect. Dr. Presslee explains, "Management accounting in its simplest form is about performance management — all those devices and systems that firms use to increase the likelihood that employees' behaviours and decisions are consistent with organizational strategy. Our group uses experiments to test factors that affect when and why employees perform better or worse."
The questions the group pursues surface in boardrooms and team meetings alike — from whether public recognition outperforms cash rewards, to what happens to knowledge sharing when employees compete against each other. Several papers have earned international awards, including work on tangible versus cash incentives, relative performance information and organizational structures that support creativity and collaboration.
"People do not always respond to systems the way they are intended to," says Matthews. "You can have well-designed metrics, incentives or processes, but how employees interpret them, react to them and ultimately perform can vary a lot."
The climb to third has been years in the making. In 2009, SAF had a single contributing author in this field and ranked 16th globally. The turning point came in 2018 with the creation of the CPA Ontario Centre for Sustainability Reporting and Performance Management (CSPM), and five of the six faculty currently contributing were hired after 2017.
Dr. Blake Phillips, SAF Director, sees the milestone as a marker of something larger. "This ranking reflects years of deliberate investment in building a world-class research community. To see our group ranked among the best globally is a proud moment for SAF and a signal of what's possible when you commit to a vision and invest in talent."
"It's incredibly meaningful, especially being early in my academic career," says Matthews. "There's a strong emphasis on collaboration, curiosity and asking questions that matter."
Dr. Tyler Thomas adds, "I find it fascinating to use experimental research to understand how accounting affects managers' and employees' behaviour and provide insights about how accounting can be used to motivate actions to achieve organizational goals."
The group has also graduated three PhD students in the past six years. Ala Mokhtar, now a faculty member at McMaster University, reflects on her training: "I learned to focus on why people would care about an answer to my research question, before taking any steps to understanding how I could answer that question."
For students drawn to accounting, the path to impact doesn't have to run through a firm. SAF's experimental managerial accounting group is a reminder that research offers its own kind of influence — shaping how organizations motivate people, design incentives and make decisions that affect real working lives.
Investing in staff development through a work-travel experience
A message from Human Resources.
We are excited to announce the launch of the 2026/27 Staff Enhancement Experience (SEE) Canada grant this spring. The grant, aimed at supporting the professional development of our regular full-time staff members, offers a unique opportunity by supporting national travel for staff to engage in idea exchange and learning experiences with counterparts from various Canadian universities, colleges, research institutions, or industry partners.
The main objective of the SEE Canada Grant is to enable staff to broaden their knowledge base and return with fresh insights to apply to their roles at Waterloo and share with their teams. The SEE Canada Selection Committee will evaluate proposals from staff members interested in travelling to one or more Canadian organizations for a period of one to two weeks. Each year, up to five proposals will be selected for funding.
To help you learn more, Human Resources is hosting a virtual information session on May 13, 2026. The session will provide an overview of the SEE Canada Grant, include insights from a previous grant recipient, and feature a question-and-answer period to help you explore how this program can support your professional development goals.
Consider applying for this amazing career opportunity!
Detailed application information and forms are available on the SEE Canada grant webpage. Proposals must be submitted by June 1.
For any inquiries regarding the grant, please contact us at seecanada@uwaterloo.ca.
Protecting the nest
With fewer than 500 whooping cranes remaining in Canada, even a single dry summer can threaten the population. As water levels continue to decline, their nests and young are at further rusk, putting this critically vulnerable species in even greater danger.
Fourth-year Faculty of Science students Thenuja Vittanachchi and Emma Bacchiochi travelled to Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories, a nesting area for whooping cranes, to conduct fieldwork aimed at understanding how water levels affect the cranes’ ability to reproduce.
The students collaborated with Parks Canada, sharing updates and coordinating the use of data loggers. They also partnered with ecologists at the Calgary Zoo’s Wilder Institute, who work directly with the whooping cranes and will use the findings to inform future conservation efforts.
The students split up the fieldwork to cover different periods of the nesting season. Bacchiochi set off on her first field campaign in May 2025, spending ten days collecting data as the cranes returned north to nest. Vittanachchi followed in September 2025, gathering data near the end of the season before the cranes migrated south for the winter. Together, their efforts captured a full season of habitat conditions.
Vittanachchi is completing her final year in Environmental Sciences with a specialization in Ecology, while Bacchiochi is completing a degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Both students were introduced to this research in Dr. Roland Hall’s biology course on biostatistics and experimental design (BIOL 361).
Inspired by what they learned about his research on cranes in the Northwest Territories in that course, they proactively reached out to Hall a year in advance to ask him to supervise their senior honours theses (BIOL 499), which allowed them to apply for and receive funding through Polar Knowledge Canada’s Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP). This funding made their fieldwork possible.
Their fieldwork was challenging, but incredibly satisfying. During their field campaigns, Vittanachchi and Bacchiochi collected water-level measurements and sediment cores that captured environmental change over the past 300 to 1,200 years. Many of the ponds were remote and inaccessible, which meant most of their days were spent in a helicopter.
“We would land briefly at each pond, hop out to anchor data loggers and collect water samples, and then quickly move on to the next site,” Bacchiochi says.
Pond samples revealed that by the end of summer 2025, 60 per cent of the 63 ponds the team has sampled since 2022 in the study area were dry.
“Water levels are critical for whooping cranes to nest, as they require very precise water depth,” Bacchiochi says. “When water levels are too high, the babies drown, and when levels are low, predators can easily access the eggs.”
To understand a broader historical context, they also used radiometric dating and paleoenvironmental measurements in the lab to analyze sediment cores that preserve records spanning hundreds of years. By examining sediment layers that indicate past wet and dry conditions, they were able to compare current pond desiccation with long-term environmental trends.
“Our goal is to determine how often the ponds dry out, and if it’s a natural characteristic of the area, or if it’s linked to newer, more pronounced climate warming,” Vittanachchi explains. “Understanding these patterns is essential for predicting future habitat conditions and for informing conservation efforts.”
This hands-on experiential learning opportunity reflects the University of Waterloo’s commitment to solving complex challenges through excellence in applied research and meaningful partnerships with industry and the community. Through fieldwork, long-term environmental data, and collaboration with key conservation partners, Vittanachchi and Bacchiochi are conducting research that could inform conservation efforts to save one of Canada’s most endangered bird species.
Celebrate with CEE and discover what drives Gen Z talent
A message from Co-operative and Experiential Education.
Join Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) for a virtual event on Thursday, May 28.
The event will kick off with a live announcement of the 2026 Employer Impact Award winners and honourable mentions.
Following the awards ceremony, we’ll dive into the Work-Learn Institute’s latest research, Gen Z Decoded: From hiring to high-impact work terms.Understanding this generations’ ideal work environment can help teams hire more effectively, supervise more successfully and design stronger student work experiences that benefit your organization.
Walk away with practical tips for attracting, hiring and working with Gen Z student talent.
Register for Gen Z Decoded and Employer Impact Awardshappening on May 28, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Laurel Trail to be temporarily closed and other notes
A pedestrian bridge will one day link Claudette Millar Hall (top right) with the new residence building (bottom left) over the ION tracks and Laurel Trail.
A section of the Laurel Trail that runs between Seagram Drive and University Avenue will be temporarily closed beginning Thursday, April 30 to prepare the site for the construction of a pedestrian bridge that will link Claudette Millar Hall and the New Residence Building currently being constructed on a section of Parking Lot A.
The closure will run from Thursday, April 30 to Friday, May 8, and is the first in a series of closures planned for the site.
The affected section of the Laurel Trail runs parallel to the ION tracks.
“During this closure, pedestrians and cyclists are asked to use alternate routes to reach their destinations,” says a note from Plant Operations. “Signage will be installed on-site to help guide trail users.”
The City of Waterloo has information about the closure on its road closures website.
A day of online workshops preceding the University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference kicks off today.The 2026 conference theme is “The Human Factor: Shaping the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education." The in-person portion of the conference takes place in various locations on campus including Federation Hall, the Science Teaching Complex, and Biology 2.
Also today, GenAI in Teaching Material Development (CTE7553) runs from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in MC 2036. The workshop explores practical ways GenAI can assist in developing a wide range of teaching materials.
Upcoming office closure
The Centre for Teaching Excellence (Integrated Teaching Support Unit) will be closed on Thursday, April 30 for the annual Teaching and Learning Conference.
Register for a Budget Q&A session
Two in‑person Q&A sessions will be held to discuss the 2026/2027 operating budget and related initiatives in May. Both sessions will be livestreamed. Please register for one of the following sessions:
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Q&A Session 1, Thursday, May 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m, Humanities Theatre
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Q&A Session 2, Friday, May 15, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
For more details, visit the Waterloo Budget Plan website.
Link of the day
Longtime CHCH anchor Dan McLean dead at 78
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 shots 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.
The Waterloo Eye Institute optometry clinics in Waterloo and downtown Kitchener offer comprehensive eye exams and eyewear, including glasses and contact lenses, with the Waterloo location offering various specialized services including urgent eye care. Discounts apply for University of Waterloo students and employees. The Waterloo Clinic is at a nearby interim location, 419C Phillip St, during construction at the School of Optometry and Vision Science. The Kitchener Clinic remains at the Health Sciences Campus, 10B Victoria St. S. Book online or by phone at 519-888-4062.
Warriors Summer Youth Camps, registration is now open for multi-sport and games, baseball, basketball, eSports, football and hockey camps for boys and girls ages 5 to 18. Register today!
University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference 2026, Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30.
GenAI in Teaching Material Development - In Person (CTE7553), Wednesday, April 29, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., MC 2036.
Anti-Racism Reads Series: Algorithms of Oppression, Thursday, April 30, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., Dana Porter Library Room 338.
AEESP Distinguished Lecture: Using Nature-Based Treatment to Solve Some of the World’s Water Crises, by David Sedlak, University of California, Berkeley, co-hosted by The Water Institute and the Faculty of Engineering, Friday, May 1, 2:00 p.m., Federation Hall.
NEW - Home Routes Folk Concert: V. Poulsens Kapel, Sunday, May 3, 6:00 p.m. (potluck), 7:00 p.m. (concert), Brubacher House.
WIN-ChE Seminar with Andrew Fix, "Selective Membrane Air Dehumidification: Bridging the Gap Between Materials, Components, and HVAC System Design," Tuesday, May 5, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., QNC 1501.
Stories Carry Us: Honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Tuesday, May 5, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., BMH Green and HLTH LHS 1621.
Retirement Reception for Dorothy Chapman, Tuesday, May 5, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. NH 2001.
Trusting health care in the age of AI, Tuesday, May 5, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
NEW - Performance Development Program: A Manager's Overview, Wednesday, May 6, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., EC1 1023.
NEW - Performance Development Program: A Manager's Overview, Friday, May 8, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., EC1 1023.
NEW - WIN Distinguished Lecture with Arben Merkoçi, "Coupling Nanomaterials with Sustainable Platforms for Next-Generation Point-of-Care Nanobiosensors," Tuesday, May 12, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon, QNC 1501.
NEW - WICI Complexity Day: From Particles to Markets: Complex Systems Across Disciplines, Wednesday, May 13, 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PSE 7303.
Positions available
This week's list from the human resources department is viewable through the Careers website or through Workday's new recruitment module. To access Workday Recruiting, login to Workday, and navigate to the Jobs Hub from the left side menu.
- Job ID# 2026-00548 - Scrum Master and Project Manager - Campus Housing, USG 8
- Job ID# 2026-00587 - Clinical Records Evaluator - AccessAbility Services, USG 10
- Job ID# 2026-00590 - Chief Information Security Officer - Information Systems and Technology, USG 18
- Job ID# 2026-00595 - Business Manager - Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, USG 8
Secondments and internal temporary opportunities
- Job ID# 2026-00559 - Campus Response Team and Operations Supervisor - Campus Wellness, USG 9
- Job ID# 2026-00557 - Program Manager - Faculty of Science - School of Optometry and Vision Science, USG 10
- Job ID# 2026-00547 - Director, Faculty Information Technology Services - Information Systems and Technology, USG 16
Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo opportunities
Visit the Affiliated and Federated Institutions current opportunities page
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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Service tunnel shutdown, Monday, April 27 to Friday, May 1 and Monday, May 4 to Tuesday, May 5, service tunnels from Central Plant to BMH, V1, SLC and partially PAC will be closed to allow for removal of old de-energized high voltage cables, tunnel access will be restricted and PPE will be required.
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Village 1 and Tutor Houses electrical shutdown, Wednesday, April 29, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Laurel Trail closure, Thursday, April 30 to Friday, May 8, the segment of the Laurel Trail between University Avenue West and Seagram Drive will be temporarily closed to prepare the site for upcoming pedestrian bridge construction, during the closure, pedestrians and cyclists are asked to use alternate routes to reach their destinations. Signage will be installed on-site.
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Energy Research Centre, Math 3, Burt Matthews Hall fire alarm testing, Friday, May 1, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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Minota Hagey, Mackenzie King Village, Ron Edyt Village fire alarm testing, Friday, May 1, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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QNC fan maintenance, Saturday, May 2, 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (rain date Sunday, May 3), all exhaust fans and air make-ups will be affected while the semi-annual preventative maintenance on rooftop fans is carried out.