Two incoming students in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are among the University of Waterloo’s 2026 Schulich Leaders, recipients of one of Canada’s most prestigious undergraduate STEM scholarships.
The Schulich Leader Scholarships recognize exceptional students entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs who demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset, outstanding leadership and a commitment to making a meaningful impact.
This year, 10 exceptional students are joining the University of Waterloo as Schulich Leaders. The incoming cohort is already demonstrating an impressive drive to tackle complex global challenges, with interests spanning climate change and accessibility to space exploration and robotics.
Among Waterloo’s 2026 recipients are two students beginning their studies in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, bringing their own accomplishments, ideas and ambitions to the ECE community.
Meet ECE’s 2026 Schulich Leaders
Anna Denisova | Computer Engineering
Anna Denisova has been writing her own path in STEM since elementary school — accelerating by taking high school courses early. Her drive continued in high school, where she founded her school’s first in-house coding competition, transforming it into an annual event that inspires collaboration and problem-solving among peers.
A leader across disciplines, Denisova balances programming and robotics with athletics, competing on her varsity basketball team while excelling academically in advanced STEM courses. As lead editor of her school newspaper, she also honed her communication skills, coordinating teams and delivering content to a wide audience.
Her interests lie in automation, robotics and quality control systems. “My goal is to create cutting-edge technologies that improve efficiency and reduce costs and waste,” she says.
Denisova aims to deepen her technical expertise at Waterloo, while continuing to build opportunities for others — combining curiosity, discipline and leadership to innovate in both engineering and community.
Noah Robinson | Electrical Engineering
For Noah Robinson, curiosity is the foundation of everything. From analyzing the plumbing systems in his childhood home to developing AI simulations, he has always been driven to understand how things work.
Robinson has applied this mindset to community impact, leading a team that won a district-wide innovation competition with a wildfire prevention solution. Using his programming skills, he built analytical tools to guide strategy and reach broader audiences.
An entrepreneur from a young age, he has launched ventures ranging from importing specialty goods to running a YouTube channel and tutoring business. Through it all, he has developed the ability to identify opportunities and act on them.
At Waterloo, Robinson plans to explore machine learning and engineering solutions that tackle real-world challenges. “At this point, what I know is that I know I want to solve real-world problems by combining my love of puzzles with helping others,” he says.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering congratulates both students on this outstanding achievement!
The Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded to some of Canada’s most promising young innovators, supporting students who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, creativity and entrepreneurial potential as they pursue undergraduate studies in STEM.
With information from University Relations. Original story by Darren Mc Almont.