News

Microplastics, tiny particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic materials, pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health due to their resistance to decomposition. Until now, scientists have struggled to fully understand how these particles degrade, especially at the microscopic level.

In a groundbreaking study, Waterloo Engineering researchers Dr. William Anderson and Dr. Boxin Zhao, in collaboration with the National Research Council (NRC), have used 3D imaging technology to examine microplastics in unprecedented detail, a critical step toward improving plastic recycling methods.

The University of Waterloo hosted a workshop for a mix of undergraduate and graduate students from the faculties of Health and Engineering to help advance their transdisciplinary design skills development. 

Called iSPARK - Innovation in Sensorimotor Skills Evaluation for Child Development: Making use of Adaptive Technologies, the one-day event provided 49 students from the University of Toronto, McMaster University, Wilfrid Laurier University and Waterloo with opportunities to work on projects in collaboration with peers from different disciplines to challenge and strengthen their approaches to problem-solving. 

Miswar Syed, a graduate student in The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has received the 2024 Young Leaders Award from the non-profit organization Walking Softer.

The Young Leaders Award is a prestigious recognition that includes a cash prize of up to $75,000 and a year-long program designed to support visionary young leaders who are making significant contributions to the conservation and regeneration of the planet.

A research team from the University of Waterloo has developed a new material that can absorb more than eight times its weight in oil. This innovation offers a new way to prevent groundwater pollution from spills or accidents.

Led by Dr. Tizazu Mekonnen, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, the team designed a polymer foam that turns into a gel upon contact with oil. 

Waterloo Rocketry, a student design team from the University of Waterloo, achieved a historic milestone in Canadian aerospace with the successful launch of Borealis the first-ever Canadian liquid bi-propellant rocket.

Powered by a bi-propellant mixture of ethanol and nitrous oxide, the rocket reached an altitude of 19,212 feet and achieved a top speed of 1,646 km/h (1.3 times the speed of sound) before parachuting safely back to the ground.

Four recipients of the Loran Scholars Foundation will be pursuing their academic careers at the Faculty of Engineering.

Loran Scholars will receive awards worth up to $100,000 over four years to support their studies.

The University of Waterloo’s TRuST network, an interdisciplinary project investigating the importance of building trust in scientific and technological research, is pleased to welcome its inaugural postdoctoral scholar Dr. Paula Catalina Sanchez Nuñez de Villavicencio. 

Funded by the Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars, Nuñez de Villavicencio’s research looks at Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our everyday lives, understanding how and why people trust or distrust wearable technologies.

Waterloo Engineering researchers have developed a new material that shares many of the same traits as bone tissue. Using it in 3D printers provides a new and innovative treatment option for patients undergoing major skeletal repair and reconstructive surgery.

The team, led by Dr. Thomas Willett, a professor in systems design engineering, has created a biopolymer nanocomposite material that can be 3D-printed into a customized bone graft engineered to meet a patient’s unique needs. 

Nicholas Levinksi, a graduate student in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, has been awarded a Women’s Health Scholar Award by The Council of Ontario Universities.

These yearly awards recognize individuals conducting groundbreaking research in Women’s Health.

A Waterloo Engineering research team has contributed to an international collaboration that reduces the risk of patient complications from heart valve implants. 

Dr. Sushanta Mitra, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, led the Waterloo team in collaboration with researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Their shared research proves that a heart valve implant with a textured surface is less likely to lead to the formation of blood clots — or thrombosis.