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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.

Imagine a coat that captures solar energy to keep you cozy on a chilly winter walk, or a shirt that can monitor your heart rate and temperature. Picture clothing athletes can wear to track their performance without the need for bulky battery packs.

A research team led by Dr. Yuning Li, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, has developed a smart fabric with the potential to harvest energy, monitor health and track movement. It works by converting body heat and solar energy into electricity, potentially enabling continuous operation with no need for an external power source.

The Waterloo Space Soldering Team (WSST), a team of students from the University of Waterloo’s Faculties of Engineering and Arts, participated in Canada’s first microgravity research competition for students — the Canadian Reduced Gravity Experiment Design Challenge.

The team won the Overall Excellence Award for researching and successfully conducting a microgravity experiment aboard an aircraft to test whether solder joints can be improved using a centrifuge.

This opinion piece by Dr. Mary Wells, dean of Waterloo Engineering Dr. Donna Strickland, a professor in the department of Physics and Astronomy and Dr. Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher, an associate professor in the English Language and Literature department, appeared in the Hill Times, a popular news source for Canadian politics and government news.

The Ontario Science Centre closed in June, while New Brunswick lost its centre in February. The loss of these vital bridges is short-sighted, and presents a significant blow to public engagement with science and technology.