News

A research team led by a Waterloo Engineering professor has set its sights on solving the worldwide problem of micro plastics (MPs) pollution.

“It’s a bold move, as currently there’s no real approach to treat the problem of MPs in the environment," said Dr. Boxin Zhao, a chemical engineering professor. "The road to solving this emerging global issue will be filled with uncertainties. We wanted to take leadership to solve it.”

Three graduates of Waterloo Engineering have been named to a high-profile list of the 100 most powerful women in Canada.

Malgosia Green, Stephanie Thompson and Laura Kennedy are among 11 leaders in education, business and the community who made the grade and have campus-wide ties to the University of Waterloo.

The recipients of Waterloo Engineering's teaching, research and staff excellence awards were announced today by Dean Mary Wells.

In a memo to engineering faculty and staff, Wells said she would like to "thank all our award recipients for their inspiring work and ongoing dedication to the faculty." 

Waterloo Engineering proudly hosted the inaugural conference this week for a fellowship program that was created to boost representation of Black and Indigenous scholars in engineering and technology disciplines.

Launched in January 2021, the Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) PhD Project aims to address the urgent need to increase the number of Indigenous and Black academics in engineering and related fields.

A researcher and doctoral candidate at Waterloo Engineering will help teach an innovative, multidisciplinary course on climate change.

Shehryar Khan, who works in the field of advanced materials processing, is one of six PhD students – one from each faculty – leading a pilot course called The Wicked Problem of Climate Change for senior undergraduates.

Waterloo Engineering professors Dr. David Fortin and Dr. Tizazu Mekonnen have been named to a list of leading innovators by a national anti-racism organization.

The inaugural edition of Canada’s Top 20 Aspiring Innovators of the Year, released by the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), recognizes Black, Indigenous and People of Colour winners who are positively impacting their communities, the world and future generations through the innovation ecosystem.

A student design team at the University of Waterloo is scheduled to begin work soon on a 130-year-old house in Kitchener that it is redesigning and retrofitting to become a net-zero, energy-efficient home for an Indigenous family.

The project, undertaken in partnership with the Kitchener-Waterloo Urban Native Wigwam Project (KWUNWP), is student team Warrior Home’s entry in a high-profile competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Motivated by an innate sense of curiosity, Dr. Norman Zhou has made significant contributions in many areas of engineering over the past 24 years.

While he began his career as a Waterloo Engineering professor focused on advanced welding and joining technologies, his inquisitive nature also led to advancements in fields including nanomaterials fabrication and laser processing of shape memory alloys.

A recent Waterloo Engineering graduate is now a local politician after winning a council seat for the City of Kitchener.

Ayo Owodunni, who graduated from the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology program in 2021, topped a field of five candidates Monday to become the councillor for ward five - and the first Black member ever - on the 11-member council.

Dr. Scott Walbridge has been selected as the new chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo.  

Walbridge, who will take over from outgoing chair Dr. Carl Haas, begins a four-year term Nov. 1.