News

Bacteria engineered to eat cancerous tumours from the inside out have been developed by Waterloo Engineering researchers in a promising new approach to treatment.

The interdisciplinary research team found two key solutions to use a bacterium called Clostridium sporogenes, which is commonly found in soil and can only grow in environments with absolutely no oxygen, to effectively consume cancer.

Researchers at Waterloo Engineering have created a green alternative to absorbent materials now used in personal hygiene products such as diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.

The new, natural hydrogel breaks down harmlessly in soil within three months, unlike existing synthetic materials that are expected to take centuries to degrade and greatly contribute to the waste in landfill sites.

A Waterloo Engineering research team is investigating how to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) into green fuel that can power aircraft with net-zero carbon emissions. Making air travel eco-friendly remains a pressing global challenge due to the sector’s dependence on fossil fuels. 

Led by Dr. Eric Croiset, a professor of chemical engineering, the team studied an innovative approach to capturing CO2 directly from the air and converting it into sustainable fuel. The study aims to shift the perception of CO2 from a harmful greenhouse gas to a valuable feedstock for producing green fuels. 

Ken O'Driscoll, a long-time chemical engineering professor and department chair, died earlier this month.

Born on Staten Island in New York, he received his bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Pratt Institute and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Princeton University.

He joined the University of Waterloo’s chemical engineering department as its chair in 1970.

The Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Consortium (AMC), a joint partnership between McMaster University, University of Waterloo, and Western University, is helping to accelerate industry adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, which will create jobs and strengthen the province’s reputation as a leading manufacturing region.

Since AMC was launched in April 2017, nearly 100 companies have benefited from the advanced manufacturing experts and state-of-the-art facilities at Waterloo. 

Frank Gu, a Waterloo chemical engineering professor, is part of the 2017 cohort of the Royal Society of Canada's (RSC) prestigious College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

Waterloo Engineering faculty members Lan Wei and Aiping Yu were two of four researchers campus-wide who received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund April 15.

The next big innovation to hit the marketplace could be among the Waterloo student projects on display at the annual Capstone Design symposia beginning March 16. 

Senior-year engineering students at Waterloo will exhibit projects ranging from a technology that reduces agricultural water waste through intelligent irrigation systems to a device that may help people with Parkinson`s disease avoid falls.

Michael Pope, a chemical engineering professor, is the recipient of $50,000 in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation for a facility to house his research into next-generation electrochemical devices.

Six engineering researchers are receiving more than $3.3 million to partner with Canadian-based companies and government organizations on strategic research projects.