News

Three Waterloo Engineering students have earned a national fellowship that supports global leadership and entrepreneurship.

Mechatronics Engineering student Tobias Grether-Murray, Electrical Engineering student Jordan Leis and Systems Design Engineering student Taira Mehta have been named 2026 Cansbridge Fellows, a competitive program that provides hands-on international experience through a self-organized internship in Asia. Grether-Murray and Leis are scheduled for winter 2027 placements, and Mehta for summer 2027.

A member of the first cohort of Waterloo Engineering's Rising Stars Fellowship — a paid summer research program for undergraduates — is one of seven fellows who've returned to the University of Waterloo for graduate study since the program began in 2024.

David Carciente is now pursuing a master's degree in the Department of Systems Design Engineering, after spending his 2024 Rising Stars summer in Waterloo's Vision and Image Processing Lab building a computer vision tool that helps marine researchers identify whales in satellite imagery.

A Waterloo Engineering professor has been recognized with a national award for her decades of dedication to graduate students.

Dr. Catherine Burns, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Human Factors in Healthcare Systems, has received the 2026 Dr. Suning Wang Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship from the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS).

University of Waterloo students from the faculties of Engineering and Environment spent four weeks in Ghana on a field course to explore issues of water insecurity and apply systems design thinking to complex environmental challenges. 

The 12 undergraduate Waterloo students were hosted by Ashesi University. Through a range of immersive experiences and hands-on learning, the cohort investigated how technical, social and ecological systems affect the connection between water and health.

A student joining the Department of Systems Design Engineering this fall has been named a 2026 Loran Scholar, one of Canada's most competitive undergraduate awards.

Umayeer Ahsan was one of just 36 students selected nationwide from a pool of more than 5,400 applicants. The four-year award, valued at more than $100,000, supports recipients through mentorship, experiential learning and a national peer network.

Two members of Waterloo Engineering's leadership team have been re-appointed to Associate Dean roles for new terms.

Dr. Mary Wells, Dean of Engineering, announced the reappointments of Dr. Carolyn MacGregor and Dr. Derek Rayside. MacGregor's new one-year term as Associate Dean, Teaching and Community runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027. Rayside's new three-year term as Associate Dean, Co-operative Education and Professional Affairs runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2029.

A Waterloo Engineering professor has been elected to a senior leadership role with an international council that advances research, education and industrial applications in nanotechnology.

Dr. John T.W. Yeow, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering, was elected president-elect of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Nanotechnology Technical Council (NTC) in early July 2026, at the council's annual meeting held in Nanjing, China. 

A local marine tech startup is moving into defence and public safety with a new class of high-performance, zero-emission boats designed to strengthen surveillance along Canada's coastlines.

ENVGO, founded by triple Waterloo Engineering alum Dr. Mike Peasgood (BASc '98, MASc '04, PhD '08, systems design engineering), designs and builds electric vessels that use hydrofoiling technology to glide above the water's surface.

Waterloo Engineering graduate Jarett Dewbury (BASc ’26, biomedical engineering) crossed the stage at convocation this month and is now heading to MIT to do full-time research in advanced AI for health-care applications.

Dewbury is the winner of this year’s Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders (PS EGL) Award, one of the Faculty of Engineering's highest student honours, in recognition of his work as a student to make advanced AI more accessible in health care and across Waterloo's student community.

An interdisciplinary team from the University of Waterloo premiered an interactive art exhibit that brings the story of the Athabasca Glacier to life, blending science, technology and art to spark deeper conversations about climate change. 

The Life and Legacy of the Athabasca Glacier was created by researchers and students from the Faculties of Engineering, Environment and Arts, in collaboration with multimedia artists and imagery provided by Guardians of the Ice.