Waterloo alumnus makes TIME list of global leaders

Thursday, September 29, 2022

For the second time this year, Waterloo Engineering architecture alumnus Newsha Ghaeli (BAS ’11) has made a worldwide list of up-and-coming leaders.

Ghaeli and Dr. Mariana Matus, co-founders of Biobot Analytics, have been listed on the TIME100 Next list in recognition of their groundbreaking work in the field of wastewater epidemiology. Launched in 2017, the company also cracked the second annual TIME100 Most Influential Companies list earlier this year.

Biobot is the first company in the world to analyze sewage commercially to provide public health officials with data-driven insights that can help save lives. Its technology can detect and track substances like opioids as well as identify and monitor outbreaks of COVID-19 in communities.

The importance of wastewater analysis has grown rapidly in response to the pandemic, with demand now calling for data on other viruses such as influenzas, RSV and Monkeypox.

Newsha Ghaeli is president and co-founder of Biobot Analytics. 

Newsha Ghaeli

In 2020, Ghaeli was awarded Waterloo Engineering’s Young Alumni Achievement Medal in recognition of her exceptional work as a co-founder and president of Biobot.

The TIME100 Next list highlights 100 rising leaders from around the world and across industries including sports, entertainment, government and business. To make the list, individuals need to have gone above and beyond in their efforts for the public good.