New and Noteworthy

  • Physics Tutoring Centre on campus with students sitting down

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    Winter 2024

    Supporting Student Success: Creation of the Physics Tutorial Centre

    In response to the evolving needs of students within the Department of Physics & Astronomy, the Physics Tutorial Centre was established in September 2023 to provide free tutoring services to our undergraduate students.


    Category: Feature Events & Initiatives New and Noteworthy
  • Professor Melanie Campbell with Optical Equipment

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    Winter 2024

    LumeNeuro: Pioneering Early and Affordable Detection of Neurodegenerative Diseases

    LumeNeuro is gaining widespread attention across the world! The Alzheimer’s Association and MATTER (a premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub) started an annual pitch competition a couple of years ago – a place where startups and entrepreneurs compete to showcase their solutions, this year for increasing access to quality, person-centered care for underserved people living with Alzheimer’s disease.


    Category: Feature New and Noteworthy Recent research
  • phys10 lecture

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    Winter 2024

    PHYS 10: The Student-Run Weekly Stop for Physics Seminars

    Like many other initiatives on campus, PHYS10 struggled over the pandemic. Despite this, PHYS10 is back and it's better than ever with a fresh team of dedicated undergraduate students. The new team has one hope, to make Phys10 the highlight of your week with approachable seminars about the frontiers of the field with some snacks on the side.


    Category: Feature Events & Initiatives New and Noteworthy
  • stock image of printed newspaper.

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    Summer 2023

    Award and Research Highlights

    Research is a big part of what we do in the Physics and Astronomy Department. Some notable research news since the last issue can be found here.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • reading a newspaper, holding a coffee

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    Winter 2023

    Awards & Research Highlights

    Returning to the new normal, our post-lockdown research and teaching efforts have been booming! Get caught up on what our faculty members and research groups have been up to.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Ray Laflamme leans casually on a glass wall

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    Winter 2023

    Canada's Quantum Future

    Dr. Raymond Laflamme will lead the advisory council for Canada's National Quantum Strategy

    Dr. Raymond Laflamme to take up position as co-chair of the National Quantum Strategy. Their aim is to amplify Canada’s existing global leadership in quantum research and grow Canada’s quantum technologies, companies and talent.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • artist's interpretation of quantum entanglement. Image credit: Nobel.org

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    Winter 2023

    News on Nobel

    Interview with Kevin Resch

    This years’s Nobel prize in physics was awarded to Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger for “for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science”. This year’s prize has a few special connections with UW. Alain Aspect received an honorary doctorate from the faculty of Science in 2014. In addition a number of our own faculty within IQC have worked in the Zeilinger group. One of those faculty is Waterloo’s own Kevin Resch. We caught up with Kevin to ask him about his perspective on this year’s prize.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • stock image - printed newspsper

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    Winter 2022

    Award and Research Highlights

    Innovations from faculty and students continued remotely as lockdowns and restrictions continued throughout 2021. Highlights include a Vanier Scholarship, the Pontifical Academy of Science, evidence of a fifth dimension, baryons, and qubits in space.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Christine Muschik, Zoya Leonenko, Matthew Robbins, Alex Krolewski, Frank Corapi, Donna Strickland, Crystal Senko

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    Winter 2021

    Honours and Awards

    Members of the Department of Physics and Astronomy have been recognized worldwide for their great research, outstanding teaching, and scientific community work.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Rob Mann uses a demonstration he designed to expain spinors

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    Spring 2020

    Excellence in Teaching Undergraduate Physics

    Rob Mann was awarded the prestigious CAP Medal, 2019

    The Canadian Association of Physicists Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching honours faculty members who have a comprehensive knowledge and deep understanding of their subject, and who possess an exceptional ability to communicate their knowledge and understanding in such a way as to lead their students to high academic achievement in physics. After decades of dedication to, and passion for, teaching in all aspects of training a physicist, Dr. Mann is recognized with the highest teaching honour that the CAP can bestow.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • COVID-19 looms over a laptop

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    Spring 2020

    Overcoming COVID-19 Through Online Learning

    COVID-19 has affected everyone and their daily routines. Although change can be a shock to the system, we live in a time where adapting to change has never been easier thanks to the technological advancements at our disposal. Read about how this shift towards online lecturing has changed the future of teaching in our department, and how we have leveraged various tools to prepare for upcoming online courses.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • collage featuring our award winners

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    Spring 2020

    Honours and Awards

    Members of the Department of Physics and Astronomy have been recognized worldwide for their great research, outstanding teaching, and scientific community work.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • cosmos

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    Fall 2019

    Let’s get Astrophysical

    New Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics looks to the cosmos to solve the greatest mysteries of the Universe

    The Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA) looks to the cosmos to solve the greatest mysteries of the universe. Here, world-class researchers and students come together in an atmosphere of curiosity, creativity and collaboration; exploring our cosmic origin to truly understand the physical processes at work in the Universe. From black holes to cosmology, we aim to understand what lies beyond the Earth. The possibilities for new discovery are limitless.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Gingras & Strickland

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    Fall 2019

    New Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

    Two professors of the Department of Physics and Astronomy were named fellows of the Royal Society of Canada.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • John Vanderkooy with the 2018 Peter Barnett Memorial Award

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    Fall 2019

    Highlights of a Career in Audio and Electroacoustics

    University of Waterloo Distinguished Professor Emeritus, John Vanderkooy, received 2018 Peter Barnett Memorial Award, for significant contributions to reproduced sound, and audio and electroacoustics education.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Judy McDonnell

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    Spring 2019

    As one chapter ends, another begins

    Judy is packing up for retirement

    When we think of universities, we think of rules and regulations, budgets and buildings. But at their heart, universities are really groups of people. Whether things work, how things seem, how well we do; it all comes down to the people. In June 2019, Judy McDonnell, our graduate coordinator, will be retiring. She has been an integral part of the department and her warm smile and welcoming personality will be missed.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Raymond Laflamme with Governor General

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    Spring 2019

    Quantum information research pioneer invested into the Order of Canada

    Waterloo physicist Raymond Laflamme has been invested as an Officer to the Order of Canada for his significant scientific and leadership contributions to the country.


    Category: New and Noteworthy
  • Rohan Jayasundera

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    Fall 2018

    36 years went by too fast!

    Join us on December 5th at 4pm to celebrate Rohan

    When asked what he would miss most about the department, Rohan replied that the support he received from all levels including the department chairs, and the administrative staff, but most of all, the students. Rohan is a special educator who has touched the lives of thousands of students and has left them with a positive memory of their time at the University of Waterloo.


    Category: New and Noteworthy Featured