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.”
Faculty of Mathematics Professor William Slofstra credits the University of Waterloo’s collaborative environment for him receiving a 2021 Sloan Research Fellowship. The pure mathematician is keen to use the monetary prize that comes with the fellowship to enhance the supportive atmosphere he has benefited from at Waterloo.
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.
Samantha Wallis’s enthusiasm for statistics is matched only by her longtime passion for visual arts.Even before setting foot on campus, she experienced significant internal conflict about her career direction. “It’s difficult to envision the future when you have so many options and interests,” she admitted.
Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics Professor Ming Li has received the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in Computer Science from CS-Can|Info-Can, the non-profit professional society dedicated to representing all aspects of computer science and the interests of the discipline across the nation. Conferred annually since 2014, the prestigious lifetime achievement award recognizes faculty members in departments, schools and faculties of computer science who have made outstanding and sustained achievement in research, teaching and service.
Jodie Wallis (BMath ’93) is always in pursuit of the most efficient way to get something done. “Sometimes my partner will tell me to stop optimizing him when I point out small ways to save time and effort,” she laughed.