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Lucy Gao has hardly stopped to take a breath since she accepted a role as an assistant professor of statistics at the Faculty of Mathematics. She graduated with a doctorate in biostatistics from the University of Washington in June 2020 and joined the Faculty a month later. “There are a million things I’m doing for the first time, from working with students in an advisory role to applying for grants,” she shared. 

Actuarial Science and Statistics student Ryan Goldford has been honoured by Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) as the 2020 Math Co-op Student of the Year for his exceptional performance during his Winter 2020 co-op work-term as an Actuarial Analyst Co-op at Sun Life.

Lindsey Tulloch’s passion for computer science began when a close friend convinced her to install Linux on her desktop instead of Windows. “That’s certainly what got the ball rolling in my software development journey,” she recalled. “I’ve always been a problem solver—I enjoy the aspect of working through something and figuring it out on my own.” 

Keshav Chawla has long harboured a passion for computer science and finance. When he discovered a way to pursue both disciplines simultaneously through Waterloo’s Computing and Financial Management program, his choice of university was clear. “I knew how robust and built-out the program was before coming in,” he explained. “Having that combination of both disciplines was the perfect fit for me.”

All Waterloo teams performed exceptionally well at the East Central North America International Collegiate Programming Contest, held on Saturday, March 6, including taking the top spot. 

“I like to think I’m a curious person,” said Jennifer Haid (BMath ’04), a native of the Waterloo Region. When she learned about Waterloo’s Math Day from her high school math teacher, she decided to attend in hopes of learning about a career path that would leverage her aptitude for mathematics in the business world. “I remember watching a professor deliver a presentation about actuarial science and thinking two things: It was challenging, and I could do it,” she shared.  

The University of Waterloo finds itself amongst the top universities in Canada and around the world, according to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) worldwide university subject rankings.

Computer Science remains Waterloo’s top-rated subject internationally, ranking 23. Mathematics ranks 35 globally, joining Computer Science in the top 100 this year along with 12 other Waterloo programs. Mathematics and Computer Science are two of three university subjects in the top 50 globally.

“I started out as a student in mathematics,” said Professor Yuying Li. “It was a huge, scary move to come to Waterloo for computer science. Thankfully, it has worked out.” 

Jyler Menard’s experience during his undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo encouraged him to return to pursue graduate studies in the Faculty of Mathematics. However, Menard, who is currently doing a master’s in Computational Mathematics, also wanted to help other students have a more wholesome experience during their university years. 

Katia Naccarato has never shied away from exploring an unfamiliar path, hitting a dead end, and trying a different one. Before she enrolled in the Master of Actuarial Science (MActSc) program at the Faculty of Mathematics, she was laser-focused on pursuing a career in medicine. Her current trajectory looks nothing like she expected, but she’s confident that she’s heading in the right direction.