News

This story by reporter Terry Pender first appeared in the Waterloo Region Record.

The federal minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation likes what the University of Waterloo’s dean of engineering says about building trust and transparency in how Canada adopts AI.

So the minister, Evan Solomon, has appointed Dr. Mary Wells, dean of engineering at UW, to the federal AI task force that will write a federal policy on how Canadian industry deploys the transformative technology.

Fall convocation at Waterloo Engineering brought together graduates, families and faculty to celebrate the accomplishments of more than 500 students earning their degrees.

Degrees were conferred in a single ceremony held on Saturday, October 25, including 130 undergraduate, 323 master’s and 57 PhD graduates, each recognized for their academic achievements and perseverance.

University of Waterloo students from the faculties of Engineering and Science wowed Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) with their interdisciplinary ingenuity at an innovation challenge hosted by the University’s Pearl Sullivan Engineering Ideas Clinic.

The weekend-long event, funded by Canada’s national nuclear science and technology organization, challenged 71 students from any year of study to form teams and design and prototype systems to safely transport spent nuclear waste from across Canada to an underground storage facility — called a deep geological repository (DGR) — in Ontario.

Four companies founded by graduates of Waterloo Engineering were named this week to a prestigious list of the fastest-growing technology businesses in Canada.

Announced annually by professional services firm Deloitte Canada, the Technology Fast 50 program “recognizes the world-class achievements of Canada’s top technology companies, highlighting their resilience, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation.”

An international team led by researchers at Waterloo Engineering has found a way to dramatically strengthen smart, rubber-like materials to replace rigid motors and pumps in robots with flexible “artificial muscles.”

Soft robots differ from hard robots in that they are pliable and flexible, making them safe for interaction with people, but the materials now used for components enabling their movement aren’t strong enough to be effective.

Celebrating this fall’s convocation, the University of Waterloo recognized five graduate valedictorians who exemplified academic excellence and community impact. Among them, one Faculty of Engineering graduate stood out for her contributions to human-robot interaction and global youth empowerment.

Andrea Chakma (MASc ’25) was named valedictorian for the Faculty of Engineering after completing her Master of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering. 

Each graduating class brings stories of exploration, growth and innovation that define the Waterloo experience.

For Audrey Chen (BAS ’25), the most rewarding part of her studies was the Faculty’s renowned co-op program, which took her to placements in the United States, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

Twelve professors from Waterloo Engineering received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) to support pioneering research infrastructure that advances discovery and innovation across Canada.

The JELF program provides institutions with funding to help recruit and retain outstanding researchers and to acquire the specialized tools they need to conduct leading-edge research. Each recipient may receive up to $600,000 to support work that strengthens Canada’s research capacity, fuels innovation and delivers real-world impact.

Waterloo Engineering alum Dr. Madelaine Liddy (BASc ’14, PhD ’22) is building an exciting career in quantum tech in Germany, working on a mobile quantum computer for non-expert, everyday use.

As a Canadian-trained engineer, Liddy wears her iron ring proudly, a constant reminder to uphold engineering ethics and do work that serves society — wherever the world takes her.

Technology developed at Waterloo Engineering uses radar and artificial intelligence (AI) to unobtrusively monitor people in hospitals and long-term care facilities for early signs of health problems based on how fast they walk.

“Walking speed is often called a functional vital sign because even subtle declines can be an early warning of health problems,” said Dr. Hajar Abedi, a former postdoctoral researcher in electrical and computer engineering at Waterloo.