Dr. Catherine Burns, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Human Factors in Healthcare Systems, has received the University of Waterloo’s Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision, a recognition that comes as little surprise to the students and colleagues who have worked alongside her for more than two decades.
As director of the Advanced Interface Design Lab, Burns has built an internationally recognized research program in human-centred design and artificial intelligence in healthcare, attracting more than $27 million in funding and producing more than 330 publications — but her students may be the more telling measure. Many of her 17 doctoral and 42 master’s graduates now hold faculty positions, lead research teams and occupy senior roles at organizations including Google, IBM and Airbnb.
Dr. Lisa Aultman-Hall, chair of the Department of Systems Design Engineering, describes Burns as a supervisor who “leads by example” and believes mentorship means “advocacy and celebration of her students’ growth,” not just oversight of their research. What students describe consistently is a supervisor who gives them structure without taking away their independence, and one who stays present through career changes, personal setbacks and the inevitable uncertainties of doctoral work.
Krizia Francisco, one of Burns’ PhD students in systems design engineering, says Catherine “…focused on my abilities and reminded me that the journey itself is the PhD, not just convocation.”
Burns is a long-standing advisor to Waterloo’s Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) student chapter, which achieved Gold Status for the first time in 2025, and regularly brings lab alumni back to speak with current students about their careers. She previously received the Faculty of Engineering’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision in 2016.
