Feature

Letter from the Editor

Building on an entrepreneurial tradition

The Faculty of Mathematics’ entrepreneurial prowess is no secret. We’re known in Canada and across the world as a hotbed for innovative new ventures. I like to think the entrepreneurial spirit is embedded in our institutional DNA and thus central to who we are and how we see the world. Our early visionaries—giants like Don Cowan and Wes Graham—were among the first to recognize the revolutionary potential of the computer. Unwavering in their conviction that computing would shape the future and that Waterloo could be one of its birthplaces, they worked tirelessly to bring an IBM 360/75 mainframe—the most powerful computer in Canada at the time—to the Davis Centre.

PureFacts CEO, Robert Madej: Dream big and go for it!

One family’s spirit and resilience led them to Waterloo – now they’re helping others

Robert Madej, CEO of PureFacts Financial Solutions Inc., was a young man with a plan. His dream was to study mathematics and start a business, and he was going to make it happen. But his high school guidance counselor had doubts and encouraged him to become a math teacher or an actuary instead, both lucrative professions with job security. Despite the counselor’s best efforts, there was no changing Madej’s mind.

Is there a formula for success?

Alex and Heather Hoff share how they’ve used the same approach to build two very different businesses

What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur? According to Alex Hoff, founder and chief product officer at Auvik, and his wife Heather Hoff, founder of Amarok IP law firm, there are some constants: good ideas, hard work, and commitment. But for this family, the optimized variable is balance.

How co-op alumni founders are shaping the future through innovation

The road to entrepreneurship begins with an idea. For Pooja Viswanathan (BMath ’06) and Joseph Lee (BMath ’99), their journeys began with ideas that sparked during their co-op student work term experiences.   Viswanathan (she/her), CEO and founder of Braze Mobility, provides navigation solutions for wheelchair users. She has spent over a decade researching smart wheelchairs to make them safer and increase user independence.  

From bars to the boardroom, building a startup at UWaterloo

Waterloo’s unique education helped Ronuk Raval (BMath ’15) become the successful founder of Encircle. Now he’s training the next generation of math entrepreneurs.

Ronuk Raval had a mix of hardware and software focus in high school and felt it was a tie between computer science and mechatronics when deciding what to study at university, but the flexibility of computer science really won him over. Ronuk specifically applied to Waterloo because the idea of trying out six different jobs through co-op in a short time frame was a unique experience and something you seldom get the chance to do in your professional career.

Innovation and entrepreneurship for a better world

Faculty of Mathematics student Jason Amri takes on global plastic waste with his company 3cycle

Jason Amri is an undergraduate student and Schulich Leader in the Faculty of Mathematics, currently working on a double degree in computer science and business administration. Along with taking classes and working 9 to 5 for a co-op employer, Amri is an entrepreneur and a shining example of Waterloo’s spirit of innovation. The star student is a natural leader and has tirelessly worked to create opportunities to make the world a better place.

Class notes

Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

Alumni on the move and getting noticed, kudos, what's happening in maths, newly named scholarships, and in memoriam.

Alumni Events

Join us for virtual and in-person events

Alumni events are a great way to stay connected to the Faculty of Mathematics and your fellow University of Waterloo alumni.

Letter from the Dean

Mathematics for a green future

Our climate is changing rapidly. And the impacts can be seen all around us, from uncontrollable wildfires to devastating floods to severe heat waves.

Eye in the Sky

Waterloo startup SkyWatch is using satellite imagery to protect the planet

When Hurricane Dorian battered the Bahamas in the Fall of 2019, Waterloo-based satellite imagery startup SkyWatchwas quick to assist the reeling nation.

Applied mathematicians using artificial intelligence to reveal climate-change tipping points

Researchers in the Faculty of Mathematics are developing artificial intelligence that could assess climate change tipping points.

Multiplying change -environmental organizations utilize math co-op students to make an impact

In the world of climate change, sustainability and environmental work, co-op students use math to help develop solutions for the future.

A Better Weather Forecast

Waterloo Applied Mathematics professor Michael Waite is helping weather forecasters and climatologists make more accurate and localized predictions

Climate change is making wild weather increasingly common—and raising the stakes for weather forecasters.

Alumni events

We are virtual and connecting globally!

We are virtual and connecting globally!

Letter from the Dean

Waterloo Mathies are trailblazers in the data revolution

Thanks to modern technology, we are amassing data at an incredible pace. This data is revolutionizing the way we see and interact with our world.

End the pandemic with half the number of vaccines? There’s an app for that

Researchers in applied mathematics are developing a program that could be added onto the COVID alert app used on smartphones to better target vaccination campaigns.

Cheriton School of Computer Science Professor Xi He coauthors book, Differential Privacy for Databases

Xi He is an Assistant Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science and a member of its Data Systems Group. Her research interests span privacy and security for big-data management and analysis.

The results are in: Data science is #1

It’s been five years since Forbes magazine declared that the world's hottest commodity is now data, the first time a commodity has surpassed oil in many, many years.

Math co-op students bring fresh perspective to AI and big data work

The growth of data is transforming our world. When collected, itcan drive insights to assist in making betterdecisions across industries.

University Professor Ian Munro’s Golden Jubilee—50 years at the University of Waterloo

Ian Munro joined the University of Waterloo as a faculty member 50 years ago this fall, just before defending his PhD thesis at the University of Toronto.

Class notes

Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

Alumni events

We are virtual and connecting globally!

Letter

from the Dean

Teaching math during a pandemc

A passion for programming: An interview with Professor Ondřej Lhoták

Ondřej Lhoták is an Associate Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science.

From problem of the week enthusiast to aspiring math teacher: Passion turns to profession

It all started at the International School of Manila in the Philippines.

Shaping the world through digital learning

When the education world shifted online due to the global pandemic, DigitalEd was ahead of the curve.

Math model helps major league sports safely welcome fans back

Waterloo grad’s startup analyzes the health risks of attending games in different venues during the pandemic

Class notes

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Alumni events

We are virtual and connecting globally!

We are virtual and connecting globally!

Letter

from the Dean

Letter from the dean

Tech industry thought leader turned diversity ally

Facebook’s Rico Mariani (BMath ’88) is taking action on diversity and equity—and he hopes others will follow his example.

A recent gift from Waterloo alumnus Rico Mariani is creating a new scholarship for Black and Indigenous students in the Cheriton School of Computer Science. The gift extends Mariani’s commitment to diversity and equity. In 2015, he created similar scholarships to support female students in computer science.

Recruiting the brightest for the Faculty of Mathematics

For Pavak Vyas, the last twelve months have proved to be a year full of change, challenges and zoom meetings.

Coming full circle

Only a few years ago, KC Leong leveraged the skills he acquired from his actuarial science courses to land a co-op position at a leading professional services firm. Now, as a vice president of the company, he recruits co-op students from his alma mater.

KC Leong (BMath ’16) is modest about his six-year meteoric rise from co-op student to Vice President for Analytics at Aon, a professional services firm with a presence in 120 countries. “I’ve found that as long as you’re eager to contribute, there’s always an opportunity to advance at Aon,” he says.

The legacy of Wes Graham

Wes Graham, the innovator and entrepreneur who helped chart Waterloo’s path to the future

As Canadians celebrated the country’s centennial in 1967 they looked to a future of hope and boundless possibilities.

Class notes

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Alumni events

We are virtual and connecting globally!

This event featured an exclusive fireside update and conversation for our Hong Kong alumni community with the 12th Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics, Mark Giesbrecht, and special participants.

Letter

from the Dean

I am very pleased to share with you the Fall issue of E-Ties—my first as Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics.

How math is revolutionizing medicine

Clinical trials in medicine are slow, expensive, and most fail. Can mathematical models help us find life-saving drugs faster and more efficiently?

Anita Layton is a Canada 150 Research Chair for her work in Mathematical Biology and Medicine and a member of the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo. Recently, she hosted a panel discussion on math in medicine as part of the University of Waterloo’s Alumni Black and Gold Day at Home celebrations. The following is an excerpt from her opening remarks. The full discussion can be viewed here.

Mathematics alumnus Alfred Simpson reflects on a life of rich learning

November is Indigenous Education Month—read on to learn about how the Faculty of Mathematics is supporting Indigenous students at Waterloo

Alfred Simpson is a lifelong learner. When the BMath (’70) grad looks back on his time at Waterloo, he recalls: “I wanted to excel at everything I did for its own sake.”

Launching the Waterloo Women’s Impact Network

On May 12, 2020 - International Women in Mathematics Day - Waterloo did something special to mark this occasion by launching the Waterloo Women’s Impact Network (WWIN).

Igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Mathematics

Waterloo’s Faculty of Mathematics is truly uncommon. At most universities, departmental branches of mathematics are typically housed within a faculty of science or a faculty of arts. But at Waterloo mathematics is a faculty. In fact, Waterloo is the only university in North America to have an entire faculty devoted to the study of mathematics and computer science.

Class notes

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Alumni on the move and getting noticed…

Recent alumni events

We are virtual and connecting globally!

We are virtual and connecting globally!

Letter from the Editor

My name is Keer Liu and I’m excited to be the guest editor of the Spring issue of Math e-Ties

My name is Keer Liu and I’m excited to be the guest editor of the Spring issue of Math e-Ties

Math alumni and faculty speak out against racism

In the wake of recent events in the US, we asked Nigel Henriques (BMath '83) and Interim Dean Kevin Hare (BMath '97) to share their thoughts on what the Faculty of Math family can do to combat racism on campus, in Canada and across the world.

Math alumni celebrate and inspire the class of 2020

As new graduates prepare to navigate a recession, math alumni shared stories and strategies as part of a day-long virtual event

As new graduates prepare to navigate a recession, math alumni shared stories and strategies as part of a day-long virtual event

Long-time Waterloo donor responds to call to support the Student Emergency Support Fund

Shanku Niyogi (BMath CS '94)

Researchers create a new system to protect users’ online data

Researchers have created a software-based system, called Mitigator, that helps Internet users ensure their online data is secure

Researchers have created a software-based system, called Mitigator, that helps Internet users ensure their online data is secure

Gamifying math to build skill and confidence

Supporting teachers and parents during COVID-19 and beyond

Supporting teachers and parents during COVID-19 and beyond

Women in math are not alone

Waterloo Women’s Impact Network celebrates women in math today, and everyday

Waterloo Women’s Impact Network celebrates women in math today, and everyday