Science

Unnecessary use and misuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobials are increasing the serious problem of antimicrobial resistance. Over time bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change, and as a result, drug resistance can occur where infections that were previously easily treated become difficult to treat.

Antimicrobial resistance ranks among the top ten global public health threats, according to the World Health Organization.

The School of Optometry & Vision Science (UWOVS) is partnering with The Cowan Foundation and the Lions Club of Canada to develop a coordinated vision plan for the Region of Waterloo Public Health to screen every child in senior kindergarten (SK). This plan is to meet the 2018 Ontario Public Health Standards set by the Ministry of Health.

The School of Optometry and Vision Science is celebrating a commitment of $1 million from IRIS, Canada’s most established network of optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists.  

While many of the students graduating this week have their sights set on fresh new horizons, Manouchka Bucktowar, who completed a BSc in Science and Aviation with a Physics specialization, has already experienced the horizon in ways few people ever will.

Bucktowar is one of approximately 15 students graduating from the University of Waterloo aviation program this year.

An international student, travelling halfway across the globe from the small island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, Bucktowar was drawn to the University of Waterloo by its strong reputation.

On June 15, grade nine students from Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) and the STEAM Academy program donned their waders to join researchers Charles de Lannoy, Karen Kidd and Waterloo Biology Professor Mark Servos to conduct experiments in the Grand River.

It’s fair to say that Sana Ahmad (BSc ’22) was always planning on attending the University of Waterloo. Afterall, she practically grew up on campus as a child of two Waterloo alumni from the Faculty of Engineering and saw her older sister also graduate from Engineering in nanotechnology. The only hiccup was the subject matter Ahmad was to study. Although the Cambridge, Ontario native showed an inherent interest in STEM and engineering, Ahmad was really interested in rocks and had accumulated an impressive rock collection early on in life.

Three years ago, history was made when the first image of a black hole inspired wonder and awe around the world as we glimpsed the shadow of light escaping from the supermassive black hole M87*. Today, history is being made again as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration releases the image of a second black hole — Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) — the one at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy.

The world watched breathlessly as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched on Christmas morning and travelled 1.5 million kilometers to its earth-trailing orbit. Now, we breathe a sigh of relief as the telescope has begun sending us the first images as it aligns and prepares for research, launching a new chapter in humanity’s endeavor to study the universe.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Professor Mark Servos has been working tirelessly to contribute towards our understanding of COVID-19, leading wastewater testing efforts locally and across Canada. His research has recently been highlighted in the media as wastewater surveillance becomes a significant tool in our community’s efforts to track the spread of COVID-19, and his efforts are being recognized with a Minister of Colleges and Universities' Awards of Excellence.

The University of Waterloo’s global hub for eye and vision research is taking on some of vision science’s most pressing challenges through five strategic research programs aimed to generate technologies to prevent vision loss and preserve healthy vision.