News

Michael Best, professor in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization, passed away on November 10 after a battle with cancer.

Mike earned his BMath and MMath degrees at Waterloo in 1967 and 1968, followed by an MSc and PhD at UC Berkeley in 1970 and 1971. He was the second-ever recipient of a BMath degree at Waterloo.

“The problem is that math students get jobs,” said Larry Smith from the University of Waterloo’s Problem Lab. “They get good jobs and well-paid jobs, which means they often don’t think about their careers carefully enough.”

Two entrepreneurial teams with links to the Faculty of Mathematics advanced to the final of the bi-annual Concept $5K challenge, which is hosted by the Velocity startup incubator.

The teams that include current students in math are:

Alfred Yu, a cross-appointed professor in applied mathematics, has won the prestigious Steacie fellowship for his research in ultrasound technology.

Yu's expansive body of research covers areas in bioengineering, computer engineering, nanotechnology and AI.

Ian Munro, university professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science and Canada Research Chair, is celebrating his Waterloo golden jubilee, having been part of the institution for 50 years.

Snapcommerce, a company founded by two Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics graduates, has been ranked top of the Canada Technology Fast 50 by Deloitte.

The annual rankings by the consulting and accounting firm recognize world-class achievements of Canadian technology companies in their commitment to innovation, leadership and rapid revenue growth.

Farhad Mavaddat, retired professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, passed away peacefully on November 3, 2021, at the age of 80. 

Giving Tuesday is a one-day celebration of generosity, designated for organizations in the non-profit, education and charitable sectors to make a broad appeal to donors. The University of Waterloo has participated in the annual event since 2014.

The Faculty of Mathematics has been involved in a joint initiative to increase academic diversity, which has now expanded from six universities in Ontario to 12 institutions across the country.

National Philanthropy Day is November 15 this year. In recognition of this day for generosity and giving, we recognize the support of alums like Brian and Janis Traquair, who went above and beyond to support students in their academic journey.

They helped young people who were worried about the cost of attending university through the Traquair scholarship, a charitable initiative they created.