News

Robert Varin of mechanical and mechatronics engineering has received a Science Technology Transfer Award from the World Association for Innovative Technologies for his Keynote Opening presentation entitled: “Nanomaterials for Solid State Hydrogen Storage-Synthesis and Properties” (co-authors Les Zbroniec and Minchul Jang). The keynote was given at the International Conference for Innovative Technologies IN-TECH 2011, which was held September 1-3 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Stephanie Neufeld, a graduate of the Waterloo architecture program, has been awarded a 2011 Saskatchewan Association of Architects bursary in the amount of $10,000. The bursary was established in 2008 to help graduates begin their careers in architecture in Saskatchewan. Recipients are required to live in the province and work for a Saskatchewan architectural firm for three years immediately following graduation. Neufeld is from Rosthern, SK.

Patrons of a new public library in Waterloo will be welcomed by a 2.4 metre (eight foot) sculpture by Waterloo architecture master’s graduate Jyhling Lee. Lee’s creation, titled Origami Goose, was inspired by the natural surroundings of the library, where Canada geese are a common site at nearby Laurel Creek Conservation Area. It also combines her love of origami and interest in the environment. 

A story in The Globe and Mail on September 7 describes a flurry of investment in Canadian start-ups by U.S. technology companies. The story notes that there have been at least 20 major acquisitions since January, injecting capital that will help transform centres such as Waterloo into global mobile hubs.

The 2011 World University Rankings released by QS in Britain on September 5 lists Waterloo Engineering at 56^th in the world among engineering and technology faculties. QS ranks the top 300 universities in the world based on six factors: academic reputation; employer reputation; student/faculty ratio; citations per faculty; international faculty; international students. 

Dr. Donald Grierson, distinguished professor emeritus in civil and environmental engineering, passed away on August 25. Professor Grierson held a faculty post in the department for 37 years. He had earned his BASc in civil engineering in 1964, master’s in 1966 and PhD in 1968.

Working for Kraft cookie manufacturer Peek Freans sounds like a pretty sweet gig. For Kartik Vaideswaran, a 2B chemical engineering student, it was. That is in large part because of the extra effort he put into his job as an Engineering Assistant at the company’s East York bakery. His contributions helped to have a production line certified above three sigma, a first for a Kraft facility in Canada. As a result, Kartik has been hired back for his next co-op term. He shares his experience in a story written by Andrea Banerjee in the Spring 2011-2 issue of Inside sCo-op.