Students from all faculties and levels participated in complex systems research this year, exploring a range of health, social, economic, and environmental concerns from various parts of the world. On April 7th, 5 finalist teams will present their system maps to a panel of judges.
2026 finalist topics:
- Affordable Rental Housing
- Occupational Gender Shifts
- Ambiguous Loss in Syrian Families
- A Salty Situation: Ecological impacts of road salting
- Youth Mental Health & Emergency Re-visits
The winning team will have the opportunity to compete in the Global Finals at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford in July, thanks to the support of Kindred Credit Union. The remaining 4 teams will receive up to $500 to further their research, thanks to the support of MEDA and their Waterloo Network Hub, Sarona Asset Management, and the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation.
Faculty, staff, students, community partners and the general public are invited to watch the finals and there will be lunch provided while the judges deliberate.
