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From cookie dough to accessibility innovations, there was certainly a lot to see at this year’s Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Symposium. On March 20th, students showed off their fourth-year design projects, and there was no shortage of the “wow factor.”

We had the chance to chat with some of the students to learn more about their inspiration for their projects and how certain classes in their Mechanical Engineering degrees helped them devise innovative solutions to problems around the world.

On Thursday, March 7th, the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering held a special event to honour the academic excellence of its students who were named to the prestigious Term Dean’s Honours List for spring and fall 2023.

Stefanie Burinsma, a Mechanical Engineering alumna (BASc' 15), has introduced a platform designed to empower women when it comes to car maintenance. The platform connects women needing vehicle repairs or advice with a network of trusted experts and educators to help reduce instances of fraud and discrimination.

While finishing up their undergraduate degrees, two Waterloo Engineering students, Michael Phillips and Phillip Cooper (BASc ’17, mechanical engineering), developed a tiny camera – just one-third of a millimetre in diameter, to diagnose stroke patients as part of their fourth-year design project. This invention also marked the founding of Vena Medical.

Mary Wells, Dean of Waterloo Engineering and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering has been named one of Canada’s most powerful women by The Women’s Executive Network (WXN) as a recipient under the Canadian Tire Impact category for her commitment to making the Faculty of Engineering a welcoming community for all by eliminating barriers.

Since becoming dean in 2020, Wells has become a founding partner of the Indigenous & Black Engineering Technology PhD Project, has taken meaningful action towards reconciliation with the creation of a new Elder-in-Residence role, and continues to be a fierce advocate for greater outreach initiatives to encourage equity-deserving groups to pursue their passion for STEM.

The Women’s Executive Network (WXN) is an organization that aims to propel and celebrate the advancement of professional women. The Canadian Tire Community Impact Award celebrates women from many sectors, including education, who bring people together, embrace community outreach, and amplify underrepresented voices.

Learn even more about the prestigious award win by reading the full story.

In a dazzling display of innovation at this year's Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards for Capstone Design, senior engineering teams from the Faculty of Engineering brought forth groundbreaking projects to compete for substantial funding to fuel their entrepreneurial dreams. Out of the ten formidable teams, two remarkable groups from the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering (MME) stream notably clinched victory.

Three graduates of Waterloo Engineering have been named to a high-profile list of the 100 most powerful women in Canada.

Malgosia Green, Stephanie Thompson and Laura Kennedy are among 11 leaders in education, business and the community who made the grade and have campus-wide ties to the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Jacqueline Noder recently completed a PhD in mechanical and mechatronics engineering. She previously did a master’s in engineering at Waterloo.

Noder’s research focuses on formability characterization and prediction with through-thickness strain and stress gradients. Her research interests extend to the practical application of sheet metal forming and machining.

A professor at Waterloo Engineering was recently honoured by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany in front of an audience of almost 2,000 people

Kaan Erkorkmaz, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, was one of 11 top international researchers recognized as TUM Ambassadors on stage during an annual summer concert.