Feature

  • Mark Giesbrecht giving speech

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    Winter 2025

    Dean's Letter

    Alumni achievement medallists, Math 4 updates, industry-academic collaborations and more

    Welcome, alumni and friends, to the first E-Ties of the new year!  2025 is a notable year for us Mathies. For starters, it’s a perfect square year: when you multiply 45 x 45, you get 2,025. But that’s not all. For a deeper dive on this unique number, check out this article featuring our very own Craig Kaplan, professor of computer science, who explains its full mathematical significance.   


    Category: Feature
  • m4 courtyard

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    Winter 2025

    Mathematics 4 update

    A student's perspective on the M4 building, advances in sustainable computing and a peek at the construction site

    Find out what's new with Mathematics 4.


    Category: Feature
  • Candice Riley on the Great Canadian Baking Show

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    Winter 2025

    Master of Pi(e)

    Q+A with Candice Riley (BMath ’99), Deloitte partner and Great Canadian Baking Show finalist. Plus, Candice shares her apple pie recipe.

    Candice Riley (BMath ’99) is a Partner at Deloitte, where she helps organizations manage their technology innovations. She has deep expertise in Public Sector, ERP and Digital platforms. She is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion and is a supporter of the Women in Mathematics (WiM) and Women in Computer Science (WiCS) programs at the University of Waterloo. Recently, she showcased her baking talents on season seven of The Great Canadian Baking Show.


    Category: Feature
  • blue, purple and black computer chips

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    Winter 2025

    Interop Labs pledges $1 million USD to advance blockchain and AI research

    The contribution supports the Computer Research Endowment at the University of Waterloo

    Interop Labs, the initial developer of the Axelar Web3 interoperability network, announced today a $1 million USD donation to grow the Computer Research Endowment at the University of Waterloo.


    Category: Feature
  • It’s an image of a person ordering coffee using their foot, which was created using generative AI.

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    Winter 2025

    Using gait gestures in augmented reality

    New research suggests variations in walking could be enough to tell augmented reality what you want

    New research suggests variations in walking could be enough to tell augmented reality what you want


    Category: Feature
  • DC building, then and now

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    Winter 2025

    Class notes

    Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

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


    Category: Feature
  • Pi Day Banner black, white and pink

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    Winter 2025

    Events

    Join us for fun and engaging events

    Join us for fun and engaging events


    Category: Feature
  • M4 exterior

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    Fall 2024

    Letter from the Dean

    M4, unlocking the future of the Faculty of Mathematics

    In just a few weeks, we celebrate the groundbreaking for a new math building, M4. This milestone event marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Faculty of Mathematics.


    Category: Feature
  • students walking around in a building near stairs

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    Fall 2024

    Escaping tunnel visions of success

    From fostering collaboration to defining your own success, three students share how to overcome academic and career pressure

    For many students, university is an exciting way to propel their career whether it’s through their academic program, co-op jobs or networking. But these opportunities can also create serious pressures.


    Category: Feature
  • person with hair in ponytail, wearing glasses looking at a green computer screen

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    Fall 2024

    Solving the crisis: Securing our digital privacy

    Differential privacy, regulatory frameworks, education and collaboration are key solutions to building privacy-preserving technologies

    The "Solving the crisis:" series explores the pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, access to health care, housing affordability and more.


    Category: Feature
  • swimmers underwater

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    Fall 2024

    The math behind Olympic sports

    Have you ever wondered about the math that makes Olympic sports possible?


    Category: Feature
  • Person with long curly hair, sitting at a desk on a computer

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    Fall 2024

    Alum Q&A: How Saralin Zassman brings computer science into the artist’s studio

    Saralin Zassman (MMath '24) is a recent Computer Science master’s graduate who now works with internationally renowned media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Learn more about her academic and career journey below.

    I am a creative technologist at Antimodular Research, the Montreal-based studio of media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.


    Category: Feature
  • de Alwis family

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    Fall 2024

    A Waterloo legacy 40 years in the making

    Gratitude for co-op and lifelong friendships motivates Ruhuni de Alwis to give back

    The University of Waterloo has profoundly shaped every aspect of Ruhuni de Alwis’s (BA ’89, BMath ’89) life, from career foundation to personal relationships.


    Category: Feature
  • DC building, then and now

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    Fall 2024

    Class notes

    Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

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


    Category: Feature
  • East Lobby

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    Fall 2024

    Events

    Join us for fun and engaging events

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


    Category: Feature
  • Beryl Tomay (BMath ’05), Brice Nkengsa (BSE ’12), and Dean Mark Giesbrecht.

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    Spring 2024

    Dean's Letter

    Celebrating the past, present and future of the Faculty of Mathematics

    Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending “From Red Room to Green Room: A Celebration of Computer Science throughout the Decades” as part of Reunion 2024.


    Category: Feature
  • Marian Forster, Math's hidden figure

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    Spring 2024

    Waterloo Math’s ‘Hidden Figure’

    How Marian Forster became one of the first female employees in Wes Graham’s computing group

    “I decided to do mathematics out of defiance,” Marian Forster says, chuckling and leaning forward in her chair. “I pretty much got a message from society, my school, and my family that I was not very smart, and that I should take typing in Grade 10 and become a typist like my mother. And then that would be it.”


    Category: Feature
  • Floyd Marinescu

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    Spring 2024

    Unlocking human potential through a universal basic income

    Floyd Marinescu launched UBI Works to reframe the debate about basic income — and his message is catching on

    Growing up in a family where money was scarce, Floyd Marinescu (BMath ’02) saw firsthand the impacts of working class poverty. “Money was a source of a lot of conflict in my house,” he said. “I knew that if there was financial security, it would have been a lot better for my family.”


    Category: Feature
  • Benoit Charbonneau

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    Spring 2024

    Math Marvels: Benoit Charbonneau

    Charbonneau talks about his research and administrative work, his love of geometry and why he does what he does.

    Benoit Charbonneau is an associate professor of Pure Mathematics who has been at Waterloo since 2010. We sat down with him to talk about his research and administrative work, his love of geometry, and why he does what he does. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.


    Category: Feature
  • Lila Kari and Fatemeh Alipour

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    Spring 2024

    Identifying the next deadly virus

    Waterloo researchers use machine learning to classify 191 of the world’s most damaging viruses

    Researchers from the University of Waterloo have successfully classified 191 previously unidentified astroviruses using a new machine learning-enabled classification process.


    Category: Feature
  • DC hallway

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    Spring 2024

    Creating a beginner-friendly hackathon

    How StarterHacks founders William Nippard and Marium Kirmani built equity and accessibility into their hackathon’s DNA

    StarterHacks, the beginner-friendly hackathon returning to Waterloo campus this May, grew out of a friendship between co-founders William Nippard and Marium Kirmani based on the principle that opposites attract.


    Category: Feature
  • DC building, then and now

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    Spring 2024

    Class notes

    Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

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


    Category: Feature
  • Students looking at old computers

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    Spring 2024

    Events

    Join us for fun and engaging events

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


    Category: Feature
  • Mark Giesbrecht at EIC launch

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    Winter 2024

    Letter from the Dean

    Stories of impact

    After a memorable 2023 for the Faculty of Mathematics community, the new year is off to an impressive start.


    Category: Feature
  • Dr. Edith Law teaching a class

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    Winter 2024

    Using technology to help humans flourish

    Opinion: Prioritizing purpose and values over moving fast and breaking things when it comes to new technology

    Edith Law explains how we can ethically harness the power of new technologies for the betterment of humanity.


    Category: Feature
  • Celebrating Black alumni

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    Winter 2024

    Black History Month

    The University of Waterloo is proud to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black alumni and friends in our global community. As we celebrate their impact on the University and the world, we continue to work together to ensure that everyone belongs at UWaterloo.


    Category: Feature
  • cancer cells

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    Winter 2024

    Using deep learning for personalized cancer vaccines

    Deep learning technology is making immunotherapy treatment more accurate and affordable

    Dr. Ming Li, a Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics and University Professor in the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, is using deep learning technology to make personalized cancer vaccines accessible to everyone.


    Category: Feature
  • Red Room

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    Winter 2024

    Q&A with the founders of the Computer Museum

    The museum brings Waterloo’s storied computer history to life and provides insight into our relationship with technology

    E-Ties spoke to the founders of the Computer Museum to find out what inspired them and why it’s so important to preserve our computer heritage. 


    Category: Feature
  • Lilo and Pablo

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    Winter 2024

    New dimension of the genome discovered

    Distantly related organisms that live in extreme temperatures and pH conditions develop similar DNA

    Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered that the DNA of some species called “extremophiles” living in comparably harsh environments is strikingly similar despite these organisms being only very distantly related.


    Category: Feature
  • DC building, then and now

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    Winter 2024

    Class notes

    Find out what your former classmates are up to now!

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


    Category: Feature
  • reunion event

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    Winter 2024

    Events

    Join us for fun and engaging events

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


    Category: Feature
  • mc in fall

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    Fall 2023

    Dean's Letter

    Celebrating commuity

    We’ve had an exciting start to the fall term here in the Faculty of Mathematics.  


    Category: Feature
  • Russell Hiscock

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    Fall 2023

    Russell Hiscock creates new statistics and actuarial science lab in M4

    The former President and CEO of the CN Investment Division wants to see the Faculty take the next step in its evolution

    When Russell Hiscock (BMath ’75) speaks to current students about his time at Waterloo, he tells them about having to wait in line in the Red Room, punch card in hand, to test a small snippet of code. Or about not being able to afford a calculator until his third year and having to do complex calculations, like standard deviation, manually.


    Category: Feature
  • Robert Horvick

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    Fall 2023

    Exploring the marvels of mathematics

    Professor David McKinnon shares his perspective on the beauty, purpose and fun of pure mathematics

    David McKinnon, chair of the Department of Pure Mathematics, is known throughout the Faculty of Mathematics for his sense of humour and enthusiasm for teaching.


    Category: Feature
  • Key Clues

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    Fall 2023

    Building community through puzzles

    Q&A with Key Clues Principal Enigmatologist Ty Ghaswala

    Ty Ghaswala (PhD ’17) is a Lecturer in the CEMC, an adjunct professor in Pure Math and the organizer (or Principal Enigmatologist) for the Key Clues Competition. Key Clues, which ran from September 27 to October 3, is a team-based community engagement and development activity that encourages undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, alumni, staff and faculty members to work together in groups of 3-6 to solve a series of puzzles.


    Category: Feature
  • Ian Vanderburgh in India

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    Fall 2023

    CEMC's Ian VanderBurgh visits India

    The Director of the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing shared a message of the magic of math.

    The trip was organized along with colleagues from the Faculty of Mathematics Undergraduate Recruitment team to attend conferences and special events. A highlight of this trip was VanderBurgh’s talk at the International Career and College Counseling (IC3) Conference and Expo, which took place late August in Hyderabad.


    Category: Feature
  • TAM mentor discussion

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    Fall 2023

    Why Waterloo's “man of all seasons” supports the CEMC

    Distinguished professor emeritus Alan George builds on his remarkable legacy with a recent gift to the CEMC

    Distinguished Professor Emeritus Alan George used to joke that he couldn’t keep a job. In truth, he so excelled in his many roles with the University that he was continually offered new ones. In his long and illustrious career, he was Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics twice (1980-1986, 1998-2005); Vice-President, Academic and Provost (1988-1993); Associate Provost, Information Systems and Technology (2003-2012); interim Vice-President, University Research (2006-2007); and interim Dean of Graduate Studies (2007-2009).


    Category: Feature
  • Steve Woods at Research Discovery Days

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    Fall 2023

    Events

    Join us for engaging, informative and fun events

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


    Category: Feature
  • Dean Mark Giesbrecht

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    Spring 2023

    Letter from the Dean

    The future of Math

    As we head into the summer, the University of Waterloo and the Faculty of Mathematics are looking to the future. Throughout 2022, the University of Waterloo asked the question: What do we aspire to be known for by our 100th anniversary in 2057?


    Category: Feature
  • Craig Kaplan

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    Spring 2023

    A trick of the hat

    The story of how a Waterloo computer science professor helped find the elusive einstein tile

    A nearly 60-year-old mathematical problem has finally been solved.


    Category: Feature
  • Safi team with farmers

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    Spring 2023

    Waterloo students pilot portable milk pasteurization device in Rwanda

    Startup Safi tapped entrepreneurial resources including Velocity and Math Innovation Office to bring their idea to life

    Waterloo student-founded company Safi – from the Swahili word for “pure” or “safe” – is a startup with an ambitious mission. They want to empower East African farmers to pasteurize milk cheaply and easily, with the ultimate goal of ending milk-transmitted disease.


    Category: Feature
  • the Perpetua team

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    Spring 2023

    Co-op students are crucial to the global growth of e-commerce startup

    In four years, e-commerce startup Perpetua expanded from Canada to Asia, Europe and South America. Co-op students help to drive that growth.

    Founded in Waterloo, Perpetua has grown from 40 employees to more than 200. Today, the e-commerce advertising software company is building tools to support giants like Amazon, Walmart, Instacart and Target.


    Category: Feature
  • rainbow flag

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    Spring 2023

    Glow turns 50

    Over 50 years, the Glow Centre has made a difference to thousands of LGBTQ+ folks. Three alumni share their stories.

    For 50 years, the Glow Centre (previously GLOW, GLLOW and WUGLM) has fostered a supportive network for folks on campus and in the wider community. Throughout that time, it’s offered social events, peer support, advocacy and resources for anyone who needs it.


    Category: Feature
  • Indigenous history month

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    Spring 2023

    Indigenous History Month

    This June, we have an exciting range of events planned in honour of National Indigenous History Month

    It is our hope this month and every month that we move beyond words and take meaningful and direct actions on this shared journey towards reconciliation and decolonization.


    Category: Feature
  • abtract visualization of AI

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    Spring 2023

    Using generative AI to solve problems

    Alexander Hudek (PhD ’10) shares his expert opinion on the future of large language models (LLMs) and guidance on how best to use them.

    AI has captured the world's attention and imagination, fueling fears and excitement alike. Will it take our jobs? Bury us in fake content? Take over the world? What can individuals do in the face of such questions?


    Category: Feature
  • Calvin Wang oversees technical operations for the Vancouver Canucks

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    Spring 2023

    Game changers

    How Waterloo Mathies are using data and new technology to change the way we play, officiate and watch sports

    Propelled by new technology and the advance of big data, the sports industry has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. And at the forefront of this revolution are talented students, faculty and alumni from the University of Waterloo's renowned Faculty of Mathematics. From optimizing player performance to enhancing fan engagement, Mathies are using their mathematical expertise to forge the future of sports.


    Category: Feature
  • Davis Centre

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    Spring 2023

    Events

    Join us for in-person and virtual events

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


    Category: Feature
  • WWIN logo

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    Spring 2023

    Event recap: WWIN celebrates International Women in Mathematics Day

    The event featured a keynote presentation by Professor Hilary Bergsieker about creating inclusive cultures in STEM

    On May 12, the Waterloo Women’s Impact Network (WWIN) celebrated International Women in Mathematics Day with round-table discussions and a presentation by Hilary Bergsieker, associate professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo, about how to create inclusive cultures in STEM. The event is open to alumni, faculty, students, and staff.


    Category: Feature
  • m3 with pink tie

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    Winter 2023

    Letter from the Editor: Celebrating alumni achievement and impact

    One of the greatest pleasures of my role as Associate Dean Operations and Academic of the Faculty of Mathematics is getting to meet with our talented alumni. It is inspiring to hear about their innovative work–how they’re using their mathematical training in highly creative ways to solve big problems­.


    Category: Feature
  • confetti

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    Winter 2023

    Announcing the 2022 Alumni Achievement Medal winners

    For this special anniversary year, the Faculty of Mathematics is recognizing 10 remarkable Mathies

    The awards committee chose 5 winners for each award this year: one for each year from 2019 to 2021 and two for 2022 in recognition of it being the 20th anniversary of the Alumni Achievement Medal and the 10th anniversary of the Young Alumni Achievement Medal. The medallists will be presented their medals at an event during Alumni Weekend on June 3, 2023.


    Category: Feature