Wednesday, July 29, 2026

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• National Post highlights President Bill Rosehart’s vision for Waterloo and Canada

• GeoSafe empowers communities to plan for a changing climate

• Science that matters: Master’s student works to accelerate autoimmune disease diagnosis

• CUPE 5524.01 collective agreement now posted 

National Post highlights President Bill Rosehart’s vision for Waterloo and Canada

This week the National Post published a feature profile on Dr. Bill Rosehart, Waterloo’s new President and Vice-Chancellor. It explores his early priorities, his commitment to innovation, and his perspective on the University’s role in strengthening Canada’s tech ecosystem. 

It also reflects on the broader challenges facing the sector and Rosehart’s systems-thinking approach to leading through change. 

Read the full article in the National Post to learn more about President Rosehart’s early vision and national outlook. 

GeoSafe empowers communities to plan for a changing climate

This is an excerpt from an article that was originally published on Waterloo News.

When University of Waterloo PhD candidate Hasti Shwan looks at a piece of land, he sees more than its development potential. He sees flood histories; hidden hazards and the ways climate change could reshape its future.

Drawing on more than 18 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering, geospatial technologies and infrastructure resilience, Shwan developed GeoSafe, a user-friendly platform that helps property owners, municipalities, engineers, planners, insurers and developers better understand climate-related risks early and make more informed decisions about the land they own, develop and manage.

GeoSafe combines artificial intelligence, geospatial analytics and high-resolution environmental modelling to help users evaluate climate risks, natural hazards and infrastructure vulnerability at the property scale.

“One of the issues I saw in the industry is that many decision-makers, including property owners, municipalities, planners and infrastructure professionals, lack access to clear, understandable information about climate and environmental risks,” Shwan says. “Although relevant information is available from governments, conservation authorities and other organizations, it is often highly technical, scattered across multiple sources and difficult to interpret."

Despite much of the underlying rainfall, topography and environmental data is publicly available, it is often scattered across multiple sources and challenging to translate. GeoSafe brings that information together into a single customizable platform, transforming complex datasets into accessible insights that help users understand risks related to flooding, drainage and extreme weather before making critical decisions.

In 2020, Shwan co-founded Geomount Inc., a Vancouver-based geospatial consulting firm specializing in civil engineering design, geospatial analysis and 3D infrastructure modelling. Through his work with municipalities, planners, engineering firms and universities, he recognized a growing need for accessible tools to help people better understand climate and land-development risks. Those experiences ultimately became the foundation for GeoSafe.

Read the full article on Waterloo News.

Science that matters: Master’s student works to accelerate autoimmune disease diagnosis

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

You’ve probably never heard of Sjögren’s Disease, but it affects approximately 1% of the population and is often overlooked. This prevalent autoimmune disease affects the whole body as white blood cells attack body tissue, damaging the glands where tears and saliva are produced. Dry eyes that feel gritty, and a dry mouth that makes eating difficult are two of the most common symptoms.

The challenge of treating Sjögren's Disease lies in its complexity. It overlaps with other diseases, and no two patients experience the same symptoms or symptom severity—giving it a higher chance of being overlooked during diagnosis. This is where Ivy Vong’s research comes in. As a Master of Science in Vision Science student, Vong is investigating a faster way to differentiate between Sjögren’s Disease-related dry eyes and non-autoimmune disease-related dry eyes.

What is the working relationship like with your supervisor, Dr. William Ngo?

I really like working with Dr. Ngo. He's a wonderful person and provides me with guidance whenever I need it. I really appreciate that he's helping me become a better researcher. 

Tell us about your passion for teaching and where it stems from.

When pursuing my undergraduate degree, I was conflicted about either pursuing a career as an optometrist or as a university professor. I already had a lot of experience in a classroom as a French instructor at a private institution for Grades 7-8 and I enjoyed seeing my students progress from being uncomfortable with their pronunciation, to confidently reading out text passages. I wanted to make an impact at the post-secondary level and support students in their learning before they go into the workforce, professional school, or other career paths, and so I pursued a Master of Education at Ontario Tech University.

What are you looking forward to in the future regarding your studies?

I am looking forward to continuing in academia! I would like to do a PhD, then secure a post-doc position, with the end goal of becoming a faculty member at a university.

How do you like to spend your time outside your studies?

In my role as treasurer for Graduates in Vision Science (GIVS) I help organize fun student events. I also really like reading, have a passion for philosophy and enjoy café hopping around Waterloo Region.

CUPE 5524.01 collective agreement now posted 

A message from Veronica Connors, Associate Director, Labour Relations, Human Resources.

The University of Waterloo and CUPE 5524.01, the union representing Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) employees, have finalized their collective agreement. 

The agreement is now available on both the Human Resources and the Employee and Labour Relations websites and will be linked for reference in the appointment offer letters being issued through the Workday system for fall 2026 GTA/GRA appointments. Thank you to all parties involved for their contributions throughout the process and for their commitment to finalizing the agreement.