News

Oleksandr Hrabar, a Master of Applied Science (MASc) student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Waterloo, has earned top honours in the 2024 International Youth Math Challenge (IYMC), securing a place among the top 1% of all 5280 participants. Hrabar’s outstanding performance has been recognized with the prestigious Gold Honour, along with the 2nd Prize Senior and the 1st National Award for Canada.

Electrical and computer engineering professor, Dr. Ladan Tahvildari has been named an IBM Champion for 2025. This prestigious recognition is awarded in acknowledgment of her exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the IBM technology community over the past year.

Dr. Tejinder Singh, an electrical and computer engineering alum from the University of Waterloo, has been awarded the prestigious title of Distinguished Engineer at Dell Technologies. This recognition highlights his ground-breaking contributions to the company’s AI roadmap and his transformative work within the tech industry. The Distinguished Engineer title, one of Dell’s highest honors, is typically reserved for individuals with over 12-15 years of experience at the company and an advanced degree. Dr. Singh’s rapid rise to this prestigious elected position, after joining Dell only three years ago, speaks volumes about his extraordinary talent and technical leadership.

Mohammad Abuyaghi, a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Waterloo, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Sandford Fleming Foundation (SFF) Teaching Assistantship Excellence Award. This award, presented annually in each academic department, recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional dedication to their students and go beyond in their teaching responsibilities. Abuyaghi’s selection for this award highlights his ability to inspire and engage students, as well as his unwavering support for their academic success.

Gurshaant Singh Malik, an electrical and computer engineering (ECE) PhD student at the University of Waterloo, has been honoured with the prestigious Best-Paper Award at the 2024 International Conference on Field-Programmable Technology (FPT) held in Sydney, Australia.

Thirteen University of Waterloo researchers have received $16.2 million in funding for 16 projects aimed at advancing quantum science and technology. This funding is part of the Government of Canada’s National Quantum Strategy (NQS), which seeks to strengthen Canada's leadership in quantum research and accelerate the development of quantum technologies.

The announcement was made by Sherry Romanado, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and Professor Alejandro Adem, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), at the INRS Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre in Varennes, Québec.

Four professors from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) are among the recipients of these grants.

After a record-breaking number of registrations for the 2025 GRADflix competition, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs announced the finalists whose videos will be featured at the upcoming GRADflix Showcase. The competition, which invites graduate students from across campus to create 60-second videos showcasing their research, highlights students’ ability to combine creativity and scientific communication while gaining visibility for their work and expanding their professional networks.

Dr. Kami Vaniea, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo and a leading researcher in privacy and human-computer interaction, has just returned from the prestigious Dagstuhl Seminar on “Grand Challenges for Research on Privacy Documents.” Held in Germany, the seminar brought together some of the world’s foremost experts to tackle urgent privacy challenges and their growing impact on technology. As a member of Waterloo’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, Dr. Vaniea’s participation highlights the institution’s ongoing commitment to addressing critical privacy issues in the digital age.

The Broadband Communication Research Group in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo has achieved remarkable success at the IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) 2024, held in Cape Town, South Africa, from December 8-12, 2024. The group’s innovative research and exceptional talent were recognized with two major awards at one of the IEEE Communications Society’s flagship conferences, which is renowned for fostering advancements in communication technologies.

Congratulations to the authors of a collaborative research paper, including electrical and computer engineering adjunct associate professor Dr. George Shaker, for receiving a Best Paper Award (second place) in the General Paper Category at the prestigious 2024 IEEE Microwaves, Antennas, and Propagation Conference (MAPCON).

The paper, titled “Radar-Based In-Home Monitoring System for Supporting Aging and Wellness,” presents innovative advancements in the use of radar technology to enable in-home health monitoring, addressing critical challenges faced by aging populations.