News

Students from Waterloo Engineering's Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology program led the competition in the 2012 RBC Next Great Innovator Challenge, taking home first prize and $20,000 in cash. The winning idea from Waterloo students focussed on mobile banking and the creation of a new platform that will allow young Canadians to set financial goals, seek advice and budget effectively in order to achieve long-term financial security. Waterloo surpassed four finalist teams from other Canadian schools.

This year’s Waterloo Region Record “Forty Under 40” honours included six with direct links to Waterloo Engineering -- four alumni, a professor and a staff member. On the list were engineering graduates David Kroetsch, president of spinoff company Aeryon Labs; Michael Peasgood, vice-president for engineering at Aeryon; Craig Haney, director of marketing for Emergent and a community volunteer; and Andrea Clegg, an engineer at McCormick Rankin Corp.

Waterloo Engineering graduates working for or starting small companies will benefit from $2.3 million in new federal funding announced February 22 at the University of Waterloo. The university's graduate enterprise program, which helps master's and PhD graduates find jobs with small or medium companies, received almost $1.4 million. In addition, FedDev Ontario and the university are jointly sponsoring up to 20 commercialization fellowships to help recent graduates and new alumni commercialize an innovation and start a business.

Ravi Mazumdar and his team of electrical and computer engineering researchers, including Shreyas Sundaram, Hiren Patel and Siddharth Garg, have received over $500,000 in funding from NSERC for cloud computing research they’re undertaking with Research in Motion.

Leading scientists from organizations worldwide, including the University of Waterloo, launched a new report on February 19 that offers real-world strategies for addressing the world’s energy challenges. The Equinox Blueprint: Energy 2030 resulted from a gathering on energy organized by the Waterloo Global Science Initiative that took place in Waterloo in June 2011.

Karim S. Karim of electrical and computer engineering has won a $100,000 grant from Grand Challenges Canada to help improve global health by developing an inexpensive tuberculosis test to combat the disease in developing countries. Karim was one of 15 researchers recognized on February 9 by Grand Challenges Canada’s rising stars awards handed out to the country’s most creative innovators to improve global health.

Gordon Stubley, a mechanical and mechatronics professor, has been appointed Waterloo Engineering’s first associate dean, teaching, for a three-year term beginning May 1, 2012. A memo written by Adel Sedra, dean of engineering, says the new position has been created to address a Vision 2015 strategic priority to enhance Waterloo Engineering’s support for teaching.

Five Waterloo Engineering teams placed either first or second in this year’s Ontario Engineering Competition and will advance to the Canadian Engineering Competition to be held March 8 to 11. Dhananja Jayalath, Neil Olij, Chris Wiebe and Ryan Mann, all fourth-year electrical engineering students, took top spot in OEC’s Innovative Design contest with their Muscle Activation Detection Suit entry. In addition, team members also took home the Technical Excellence award presented to the team displaying the greatest consideration and attention to technical aspects of design.

Fathy Ismail of mechanical and mechatronics engineering will serve as interim chair of the department from February 1 to December 31 2012. He will replace Pearl Sullivan who is succeeding Adel Sedra as dean of Waterloo Engineering on July 1, 2012. Sullivan is resigning as chair of MME on January 31 to allow time for the transition of the dean’s position. A full search will take place for Sullivan’s permanent successor.

Waterloo management engineering students won a number of awards, including the overall conference grand prize trophy, at the Institute of Industrial Engineers National Student Conference held January 19-21 in Halifax. The Golden I trophy was awarded based on the points the students earned for winning individual and team competitions, contributing a school video and cheer, and for participating in various conference events.