Future graduate student research opportunities

Seeking an interdisciplinary PhD student to examine how foresight and futures thinking can support municipalities in navigating long-term, equity-oriented urban climate transitions. The student will be embedded within a collaborative research initiative based at the University of Waterloo and will work closely with five municipalities across Canada to explore how participatory and strategic foresight approaches can be used to reimagine urban futures, guide decision-making under deep uncertainty, and reduce the risk of maladaptation. This research will combine empirical investigation with conceptual development, contributing both to scholarly debates on urban climate governance and to practical tools and insights for municipal practitioners.
 

Blackward to the Future is a community-led, participatory action research initiative dedicated to reclaiming the past, present, and future of the African American community in Phoenix, Arizona. The project seeks to address the erasure of Black histories from the city’s cultural landscape by documenting oral histories, preserving community archives, facilitating intergenerational dialogue, and co-creating future urban visions. Drawing on the Adinkra concept of sankofa—the principle of looking to the past to move forward—the project emphasizes joy, resistance, and self-determination over damage-centered narratives.

Cell injection is a key technique in biomedical research and therapy, enabling the delivery of biomolecules into cells for gene modification and treatment development. It is widely used in gene therapy, drug discovery, cancer research, and stem cell research, where precise force control is critical to preserve cell viability. AI and microrobotics enhance injection accuracy and consistency by reducing human variability.

Bioprocess development for biomanufacturing or environmental applications, specifically focused on microbial strain engineering via genetic engineering and metabolic engineering.

What kinds of archives do people create when everything around them is being destroyed? In the face of escalating global crises—ecological collapse, forced displacement to authoritarianism, and colonial erasure—archives have become more than repositories of the past.

From earthquake-stricken Turkey to occupied Palestine and post-apartheid South Africa, marginalized communities are reclaiming the archive as a living practice: a means of confronting loss, asserting existence, and imagining alternative futures. Grounded in anthropology and engaging history, law, digital humanities, and political theory, this project rethinks the archive as an affective, multi-temporal entity—as both method and modality through which scholars and communities contest dominant narratives, co-produce knowledge and respond to the urgency of the present in pursuit of justice.

An opportunity to work with the Waterloo Coastal Group examining the response and recovery of coastal barriers and other environments to changes in water level, storm activity and ice cover in the Great Lakes and in the maritimes. The research ranges from geophysical surveys and geochronology of coastal systems to UAS-based remote sensing and advanced geospatial analysis of scale-dependent landscape morphology and evolution.

As climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters, proactive planning for post-disaster housing recovery is essential to mitigate long-term social and economic disruption. Computational models can support this planning by simulating potential recovery trajectories, yet many existing approaches are limited by overwhelming data requirements or narrow applicability to past events. Our work focuses on developing novel computational tools to improve how we manage disaster risk. These can include computational simulations using agent-based models or computer vision-based algorithms to study post-disaster recovery in communities.

We are looking for ambitious graduate students to conduct projects within the Wise Judgment Consortium, which brings together an international team of researchers to study how culture shapes the way we make decisions. Our work is highly interdisciplinary, combining psychology, natural language processing (including Large Language Models), computational modelling, and psychometrics to understand the complex ways cultural, ecological, and situational factors influence everyday decision-making.

This project will utilize high-speed imaging, lasers and instruments to evaluate explosion risk in BESS facilities. A reduced-scale enclosure with optical accessibility will be developed, with explosions simulated by recreating the gas mixtures found from thermal runaway vent gas measurements. Flame acceleration will be induced to generate turbulence by incorporating obstacles into the enclosure that are representative of battery racks in BESS enclosures. The results of this work will help inform future BESS enclosure design and gas venting strategies.

Work on an exciting project focused on developing a high-throughput genomic library of C. difficile to investigate stress defense responses and the molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. The successful applicant will employ cutting-edge approaches in molecular microbiology, genomics, bioinformatics, and high-throughput phenotypic screening.

Computer Vision for Smart Structure Laboratory (CVISS) at the University of Waterloo, led by Dr. Chul Min Yeum, invites applications for graduate studies (Direct Ph.D. and Ph.D.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Our lab focuses on practical, application-driven research, utilizing advanced technologies to integrate intelligence into the physical built environment, aiming to bolster infrastructure safety and resilience.

This position focuses on developing mobile robotic sensing and analysis systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), for infrastructure inspection and management. Additionally, the role involves designing intuitive human-robot interaction frameworks for collaborative inspection and teleoperation. Students who have experience in mobile robotics, computer vision, and augmented/virtual reality are recommended to apply for this position. 

Since time immemorial, not only migration to new lands have been standard patterns of human behaviour, but also the creation of narratives that commemorate founding heroes and provide aetiologies for topographical or cultural features. Most accounts still contain some historical information, others are entirely fictitious (think only of Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf). Yet even the wildest fabrications articulate ethnic identity and inter-ethnic relations. The present research project is concerned with the identity constructs enshrined in such ancient foundation legends.

Natural assets are the stocks of natural resources and ecosystems that produce ecosystem services. Nature-based solutions, then, are actions we take to optimize ecosystem services use to help resolve societal challenges such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, floodwater control, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and threats to people's physical and mental health.

The objective of this project is to develop robust scenarios for the deployment of a marine-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approach that accounts for the interaction between physical (climate and ocean), technical, and social factors. Current climate projections indicate that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will exceed levels consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement target of limiting temperature increase to 1.5 to 2 ℃ making carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere a crucial element of national climate responses. The key question facing decision-makers is not whether to undertake CDR but which methods of CDR should be pursued. 

Financial technology, or Fintech, is a new trend that revolutionized the financial industry. Automated trading programs have become the new standard. Many of the financial activities that have been traditionally done based on human skills and experience have recently been replaced or will be replaced by computer systems. In fact, banks and investment companies are hiring more staff with strong computing skills than ever. Fintech is a broad subject and this research project is going to focus on quantitative analytics, and in particular on developing efficient and effective models for applications in finance.

Boredom has been cast as a push to action - to find something more engaging. We recently theorized that this signal arises when our cognitive and neural resources are under (or over) utilized. In other words, a basic drive (in both humans and animals) is the drive to optimally deploy our cognitive and neural resources. Our lab is now in the process of designing tasks to test this novel hypothesis, one that we think extends beyond boredom.

Statistical models play a critical role in data applications for explanatory and predictive purposes. The model-building process involves use of various statistical tools, some of which make certain assumptions to yield good statistical properties like consistency. Such properties enable researchers to make reliable statistical inferences. However, when samples are small to moderate in size, issues arise when applying common model-building tools due to deviations from underlying assumptions. Such deviations can lead to unreliable parameter estimates, reduced statistical power, thereby affecting data-driven decisions. The process of model-building and conducting statistical tests is further impeded when data are incomplete due to missing values.

This research project will utilize an existing experimental set-up at the University of Waterloo's Fire Research Facility to develop medium-scale compartment fire experiments. The candidate will form a critical part of the UW Fire Research Facility team and will benefit from collaborations and discussions with partner institutions and industry within the mass timber construction and fire safety engineering sector in Canada.

The Vision and Neurodevelopment lab is seeking applicants for full-time graduate student positions in the Vision Science Graduate Program. The successful student will join a dynamic group researching typical and atypical development of eye movements, reading, and motor ability. Specifically, the lab investigates functional consequences of pediatric eye conditions such as amblyopia (‘lazy eye’) on children on maturation of these important life skills using psychophysics, eye tracking (EyeLink 1000 Plus, Tobii Glasses 2), and body tracking (GAITRite mobile walkway, Qualisys motion capture system) techniques.

The Gender Intelligence Lab (GIL) conducts and translates academic expertise in gender studies, equity, technology, and transformative social change.

Rooted in feminist scholarship and social justice principles, the lab serves as both an incubator and amplifier of research, advocacy, and applied knowledge that interrogates how gender shapes – and is shaped by – systems of power, representation, and resistance.

Hellenistic history is en vogue, and it seems that the Seleukids have dethroned the long-time favourite Ptolemies in the recent wave of scholarly production. With their core territories Syria and Babylonia, and their rule extending further over much of Asia Minor, Media, Elymais, Persia, Parthia, and Baktria, the Seleukids controlled the largest of the Hellenistic kingdoms after the death of Alexander the Great. They energetically reshaped the political and cultic landscape of uncountable peoples and cities in the Near East, creating an impressive legacy. Although the violent conflicts with the Judaeans under Antiochos IV Epiphanes largely denigrated their image, at least in the Biblical tradition, and the defeat of Antiochos III Megas by the Romans at Magnesia further damaged their reputation, such perspectives from hindsight should not mislead us in our assessment of the most powerful and highly resilient dynasty of the early and middle Hellenistic periods.

A Masters or PhD student is being recruited to analyze the levels and determinants of these chemicals among participating communities. The student will complete biostatistical analysis of biomarker and survey data to answer key research questions raised by community partners. In addition, the student will assist with the knowledge mobilization of biomonitoring results.

People in North America spend about 90% of their time indoors, making indoor environments the primary source of exposure to airborne pollutants. We aim to improve the health and well-being of building occupants by enhancing indoor air quality. We design and develop strategies and interventions to achieve this goal while improving building sustainability and resilience for future climate conditions.

This project will develop highly sensitive optical techniques to probe and quantify in-situ particle and gas emissions of Li-ion battery cells as they approach thermal runaway during their safety venting phase. Lasers and optical equipment available at the UW Fire Research Facility will be used to target the time evolution of select gas and solid species and concentrations along with particle size distributions. Resulting data from this work will be used to tailor highly sensitive low-cost sensors to enable early detection of thermal runaway.

Join a team researching micro, nano, and quantum resonators created by the interaction of light, (lower frequency) electromagnetic fields, and micro/nano-scale mechanical structures with a view to; discover new phenomena, learn how to integrate then to best advantage and create novel sensors.

I am seeking fully funded Ph.D. students to join my new research group in the Dept. of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, starting September 2026. 

The main goal of this climate mitigation project is to support Canadian municipalities to monitor, measure and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation goals. The aim is to ensure emissions reduction projects, policies and programs are aligned with Canada's national reduction commitments. The project is creating improved measurement, analysis and monitoring systems for both municipal and community-wide GHG emissions to advance the quantification of GHG emissions and enable the application of methods to identify mitigation opportunities and evaluate their effectiveness. This research augments national reporting processes and aligns with international practice.

Seeking a highly motivated doctoral student to join an interdisciplinary research project examining the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in addressing climate-driven vulnerabilities in informal urban settlements in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), with a primary case study in Mérida, Mexico.

Informality is the dominant mode of urbanization in the Global South, where most future urban growth is projected to occur. Rapidly expanding but underserved informal settlements are disproportionately exposed to climate risks, including extreme heat, flooding, and water insecurity. Many cities in the LAC region face the triple challenge of the aftermath of rapid urbanization, climate change, and inequalities in access to services, infrastructure, and political representation.

Seeking MSc and PhD students to work on projects to understand the universe and what drives its evolution. The expansion of the universe is accelerating, and we do not know why. Dark energy, the name given to the mechanism driving this expansion, is unknown. Graduate students will analyze the latest cosmological data to further our understanding.

Our lab's research explores the intersection of computer graphics, computational physics, and geometry processing. We develop mathematical and algorithmic foundations for simulating complex physical phenomena, such as liquids, gases, and rigid or deformable materials, with efficiency, high fidelity, and robustness. By advancing computational methods for partial differential equations and dynamic surface evolution, we aim to make physically based animation both accurate and visually compelling.

We investigate a broad range of topics including multi-physics fluid-solid interactions, free-surface and multiphase flows, non-Newtonian and viscoelastic materials, and aspects of geometric representations, such as reconstruction of implicit surfaces (e.g., signed distance fields) and mesh-based topology tracking for dynamic surfaces. Our work bridges theory and practical application, often influencing research and production tools used in visual effects, animation, and interactive media. We strive to build well-grounded simulation methods that integrate physics, mathematics, and computation to push the boundaries of realism and control in the virtual worlds of the future.

This project explores the reception of the Psalms in poetry from Late Antiquity (300-700 AD) to the middle Byzantine period (1000-1300 AD), with a focus upon Greek poetic paraphrases of the Psalms. The research involves cross-cultural study of the literary influence of the Psalms and the intersection of classical Hellenic or Roman culture and Christian literature. The project involves the editing and study of unpublished Greek manuscripts alongside careful evaluation of the linguistic and literary characteristics of poetic paraphrases of the Psalms.

We will develop temperature-dependent population models for ectoptherms like plants and insects. These models will incorporate the impact of realistic heatwave conditions on the nonlinear responses of organisms to temperature. Models will be tested using fast-growing invasive duckweed populations. Model analysis will include the potential for transient dynamics that have large impacts on population growth.

Work on topics of your choosing in social and political philosophy of language, under the supervision of Jennifer Saul. 

Work on topics of your choosing related to philosophy of economics under the supervision of Patricia Marino. The broader department includes experts in philosophy of science and methodology (Doreen Fraser, Carla Fehr, Katie Plaisance), political philosophy (Jennifer Saul, Laura Mae Lindo, Katy Fulfer, Chris Lowry) and public policy (Mathieu Doucet).

Seeking motivated Master's and PhD students to join the Risk, Injury, Sport, & Equity (RISE) Youth Sport Lab. We study the ways in which athletes feel safe and included in sport, recreation, and leisure environments and how they experience injury and risk within these spaces. Ongoing funded projects explore sport-related concussion reporting for youth girls, safe sport practices in community sport organizations, stories of belonging for Black girls and women in hockey, and concussion communication and management efforts. Our work aims to foster athlete well-being, and emphasizes community-oriented partnerships that drive positive changes in youth sport experiences.

Dr. Karim's lab at UWaterloo has been developing imaging device technology based on propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast (XPC) for the past decade. With Dr. Keller, we are applying this technology to obtain three-dimensional images of medical tissues with sub-cellular resolution.

Professor Musselman leads the Functional Nanomaterials Group and is recruiting graduate students to work on projects developing novel, thin-film coating materials and manufacturing processes.

The Functional Nanomaterials Group has helped pioneer the development of spatial atomic layer deposition, a high-throughput coating technique. The scalable manufacture of coatings with nanometer-scale precision can address global sustainability and health challenges. Imagine a world without single-use plastic waste, with widespread low-cost photovoltaic power, and with rapid point-of-care diagnosis of health conditions.

The Waterloo Civic Map Lab is a research team focused on how geospatial technologies and data are used to meet the needs of community, government, and civic organizations. Student researchers at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral) work to create applied and theoretical research that matters - understanding the challenges, benefits, and issues created by civic technologies and geospatial data.

Research focus is on developing functional probiotics using synthetic biology, with applications in health biotechnology and food safety. In addition, producing and degrading bioplastics using synthetic biology, focusing on clean technology and environmental sustainability.

The Liu's lab of Synthetic biology for Sustainable development (LSS) was established in the University of Waterloo's Department of Chemical Engineering under the leadership of Prof. Yilan Liu in 2023. We primarily work on harnessing synthetic biology to deliver products and services that contribute to sustainable development. We currently focus on developing functional probiotics to supply an affordable and preventive health solutions, and engineering bacteria to convert mixed solid waste into useful products.

Come work with Jennifer Saul, who is studying the linguistic devices that are used to spread misinformation, disinformation, and bullshit. These include dogwhistles like "the storm is coming", used by QAnon adherents to communicate with each other; figleaves like "I'm just asking questions" which make people more likely to claims they would otherwise dismiss; and strategies to evade content moderation (like use of a carrot emoji by anti-vaxxers). Your own research needn't be limited to these though. You'll be in a department with philosophers like Carla Fehr, who works on both epistemology of ignorance and algorithmic bias; Patricia Marino, who works on algorithmic bias and formal philosophical methods; Laura Mae Lindo, who works on anti-racist communication and philosophy of education; and Katie Plaisance, who works on scientific communication.

Often referred to as ‘canaries in the climate change coal mine’ due to their sensitivity to climate change risks, small islands are facing increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and threats from future sea-level rise. These events, such as tropical cyclones, often cause significant infrastructure damage, disrupting critical food, water, and energy supplies.

Like mushrooms popping up in a field, this collective springs into action in response to widespread and ongoing anti-life doctrines that reverberate across the nation and globe (e.g., anti-trans legislation, rolling back queer and disability rights). The REC, directed by Dr. Aly Bailey in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies in the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo, is a collection of research, scholars, and activists centring bodymind differences by queering, cripping, and thickening leisure, fitness, and health. Bridging theory and practice, building bodymind coalitions (across fat, disabled, queer, racialized, Mad communities), and working with powerholders invested in access and inclusion, The REC demands for research and teaching that challenges power, subverts oppressive structures (e.g., ableism, racism, fat hatred, anti-queer, etc.), and celebrates embodied diversity. Graduate students at The REC engage deeply with theory, bring research to action, and strive for justice.

The geological records of past glaciations provide insights into the long-term evolution of continental glaciers (ice sheets). There is an extensive cover of glacial sediments and landforms, as well as borehole records, in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec that contain clues about the last glaciation. These geological archives also play an important role, via their physical properties, for regional water resources and land management.