Monday, November 2, 2026

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• Waterloo researchers earn Canada Research Chairs to advance research with global impact
• Registration for GRADflix and 3MT® competitions now open
• We want your feedback on Cyber Awareness Month!
• School of Optometry and Vision Science supports expanded scope for Alberta optometrists
• Monday's notes

Waterloo researchers earn Canada Research Chairs to advance research with global impact

This article was originally featured on Waterloo News.

Eight University of Waterloo researchers have been recognized through the latest round of the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program, bringing more than $7.7 million in federal research funding to the University and reinforcing Waterloo's reputation as one of Canada's leading research-intensive universities. 

The appointments support researchers whose work tackles some of society's most pressing challenges, from water sustainability and reproductive justice to quantum computing, nutrition and digital technologies. 

The Canada Research Chairs Program helps Canadian universities attract and retain world-class researchers. The program supports scholars whose discoveries strengthen Canada's research capacity while helping train the next generation of innovators and leaders. 

The following Waterloo researchers were awarded new or renewed Canada Research Chairs through the latest competition:  

Alana Cattapan (Faculty of Arts) 

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair renewal (SSHRC) 

$500,000  

Dr. Alana Cattapan studies the regulation of reproduction, examining how reproductive autonomy is enabled and constrained by public policy and law. She is a community-engaged researcher who centres the voices of people most often left out of decision-making related to reproductive and genetic technologies, family making and access to care.

Amelia Clarke (Faculty of Environment) 

New Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) 

$1,400,000 

Dr. Amelia Clarke supports municipalities in monitoring, measuring and achieving their greenhouse gas mitigation goals. This research directly extends Clarke’s ongoing leadership of the Municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N-ZAP), which she co-leads with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and ICLEI Canada.

Helen Jarvie (Faculty of Environment) 

New Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (NSERC) 

$1,400,000 

Dr. Helen Jarvie studies water quality, aquatic ecosystem health and the movement of nutrients through rivers and watersheds. Her research helps improve understanding of how environmental change affects freshwater systems and informs policies that support healthy and resilient waterways.  

Kelsey Leonard (Faculty of Environment) 

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair renewal (SSHRC) 

$500,000  

Dr. Kelsey Leonard’s research focuses on Indigenous water governance, climate resilience and sustainability. Through community-engaged research, she advances Indigenous-led approaches to water stewardship and environmental decision-making.  

Marina Mourtzakis (Faculty of Health) 

New Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (NSERC) 

$1,400,000  

Dr. Marina Mourtzakis examines diverse imaging techniques to explore the role of muscle health and disease. Her research improves health and clinical outcomes through evidence-based nutrition and exercise approaches. 

Crystal Senko (Faculty of Science) 

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair renewal (NSERC) 

$500,000 

Dr. Crystal Senko is a faculty member at the Institute for Quantum Computing. She develops trapped-ion quantum computing systems and investigates new approaches to quantum information processing and simulation. Her work advances next-generation quantum technologies. 

Sophie Spirkl (Faculty of Math) 

New Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (NSERC) 

$600,000 

Dr. Sophie Spirkl investigates “structural graph theory”, the area of mathematics and theoretical computer science concerned with large-scale complex networks. Dr. Spirkl's research leverages local aspects of the network to understand global phenomena and develop efficient algorithms.

Zhou Wang (Faculty of Engineering) 

Tier 1 Canada Research Chair renewal (NSERC) 

$1,400,000 

Dr. Zhou Wang’s research focuses on image and video processing, computational vision and perceptual quality assessment. His work has transformed how digital media quality is measured and evaluated across a range of technologies. 

Together, these chair appointments strengthen Waterloo's capacity to address increasingly complex challenges through research, partnerships and innovation while helping train the next generation of experts who will shape Canada's future. 

Registration for GRADflix and 3MT® competitions now open

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Registration is now open for the University of Waterloo's 2026–27 GRADflix and Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) research communication competitions.

Both competitions challenge graduate students to make their research accessible to audiences beyond their field, while developing valuable communication skills and competing for cash prizes of up to $1,000.

GRADflix invites students to share their research through a creative 60-second video, animation or moving slideshow, while 3MT® challenges participants to explain their research and its significance in a three-minute, in-person presentation using one static slide.

No previous experience is required, and participants can access resources and support to help them prepare. Faculty and staff are encouraged to share these opportunities with eligible graduate students and support their participation.

Learn more on the current graduate students' website.

We want your feedback on Cyber Awareness Month!

A message from IST.

Did you follow along with October's Cyber Awareness Month campaign? We'd love to hear what you thought!

Take a few minutes to complete our short survey and share what you found helpful, what you learned and what we could do better. Your feedback will help us understand cybersecurity awareness across campus and shape future campaigns and initiatives at Waterloo.

Have your say and help us make cybersecurity awareness even better!

School of Optometry and Vision Science supports expanded scope for Alberta optometrists

This article was originally featured on the School of Optometry and Vision Science News.

On October 26, 2026, the Government of Alberta announced new regulations that will expand optometrists' scope of practice to include lid lesion removal and laser procedures, effective November 1, 2026. The University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science welcomes and supports this proposal, as it increases access to care for patients.

"Optometrist-delivered lid lesion removal and laser care leverage the full capabilities of optometrists and provide patients with another option for receiving care from highly trained and accessible providers," says Dr. Ben Thompson, Director of the School of Optometry and Vision Science.

As healthcare systems face growing demand from aging populations and chronic eye conditions, provinces are turning to adopt proven, patient-centred, safe solutions that help patients receive care sooner. With more than 950 optometrists practicing in Alberta, these clinicians are well positioned to provide routine office-based procedures that reduce wait times, support earlier intervention and enable ophthalmologists to focus on complex surgical cases that requires their specialized expertise.

The new scope expansion includes minor laser procedures such as capsulotomy, peripheral iridotomy and selective laser trabeculoplasty, as well as certain injections and skin and eyelid procedures, including the removal of skin tags, warts and persistent styes. Recognizing the advanced clinical training optometrists already possess, these changes will enhance access to safe, timely and efficient patient care.

The University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science curriculum integrates biomedical and ocular sciences with progressive clinical training and adheres to the competencies listed in the American Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) Framework for Developing Optometric Curriculum Guidelines and Educational Standards for Ophthalmic Surgery. All ACOE-accredited schools provide extensive didactic and clinical training in systemic disease, ocular disease, medical physiology, pharmacology, laser safety and basic surgical skills for straightforward office-based procedures such as lid lesion removal.

In addition to improving access to care, the scope expansion aims to reduce pressure on emergency departments and family physicians, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

To maintain licensure, optometrists must also complete ongoing continuing education, ensuring that their clinical skills remain current, evidence-based and aligned with evolving standards of care. The School provides evidence-informed continuing education to optometrists and optometric staff that helps practitioners advance their skills and patient care. Learn more about our hybrid course designed specifically for office-based laser and minor surgical procedures for optometrists.

“We are excited for our students, alumni and other optometrists in the province of Alberta to be able to practice to their full scope, providing safe care to Albertans,” Dr. Thompson says. “We are also grateful for the leadership and advocacy of the Alberta College of Optometrists and the Canadian Association of Optometrists."

Monday’s notes

If you are a Waterloo employee with a grade 9 student, there's still time to register to take part in the national Take Our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, November 4! Students can explore careers and shadow their UWaterloo employee host. Hands-on sessions are being offered by Athletics and Recreation Services, Campus Engagement, the Earth Sciences Museum, and the faculties of Engineering, Environment, and Science. Find out more and register for a fun and engaging day! 

The MultiFaith Spirituality Resource Team (formerly the UW Chaplains), in partnership with Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Myeengun Henry, will be hosting a Remembrance Day event in the Student Life Centre Great Hall on Wednesday, November 11 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Elder Myeengun Henry will lead the ceremony, which will include the singing of the national anthem, the playing of the Last Post and Rouse/Reveille, two minutes of silence, an act of remembrance and benediction. In accordance with the University's flag-lowering guidelines, flags across the University of Waterloo will be at half-mast to mark Remembrance Day.

WUSA’s Winter Warm-Up Donation Drive will be hosting two events in the SLC Multi-Purpose Room from noon to 5 p.m. on November 12 and December 5. Donate winter essentials until December 2 at the bin outside WUSA Thrift or at the Thrift Sidewalk Sales (see schedule). Eligible items will receive a WUSA Thrift coupon as our thank-you. 

If you're interested in housing research, urban planning, architecture, social innovation, or simply the future of homeownership, join the goodDEED Community Launch: Rethinking Homeownership Togetheron Monday, November 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendees can expect an evening of conversation about housing affordability, shared homeownership, and the possibilities of transforming existing homes into more attainable housing. Founded by Master of Architecture candidate Penn Bolourchi, goodDEED explores how collaborative ownership models can help address housing affordability while strengthening community cohesion.