The Winter 2024 Velocity Pitch Competition saw a big turnout, attracting more than 100 student applications from campus. Narrowing down from a competitive initial pool, 26 teams emerged to compete in the semi-finals, leading to the final showdown of eight standout finalists.
Thanks to a transformational $10 million donation from Caivan Group (Caivan), one of Canada’s leading real estate developers, co-founded by Waterloo alumni Frank Cairo (BES ’05) and Troy van Haastrecht (BASc ’93), the University has embarked on a bold new mission to create healthier, more prosperous cities with the launch of the Future Cities Institute founded by CAIVAN (FCI).
On April 8, 2024, sky gazers and astronomy enthusiasts in southern Ontario will be treated to a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime event — a total solar eclipse. This rare marvel occurs when the Moon completely covers the Sun, sweeping a shadow over us to reveal a mesmerizing solar corona.
We recently asked Dr. Roan Haggar, a postdoctoral fellow and the outreach co-ordinator for the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA) at the University of Waterloo, to share the science behind the solar eclipse so we can better understand this phenomenon as it passes over us.
The University of Waterloo and Ontario land development and homebuilding company The Caivan Group (Caivan) are launching the Future Cities Institute (FCI) thanks to a transformational $10-million commitment from Caivan. The Institute will bring together some of the top minds in the country and provide the resources they need to tackle the greatest challenges facing urban spaces now, and in the future.
Climate change is real and human activity contributes to the problem. For most, this statement is undisputed. With an increase in forest fires, unusual weather patterns and drought, it’s hard to not acknowledge the changes around us. For environmental researchers, it’s a passion, a question, a problem to better understand, and something we can help mitigate. Yet, climate science researchers experience hostility, aggression and opposition.
Twelve senior student teams from the Faculty of Engineering competed in this year’s Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards for Capstone Design, pitching their startup ideas to a panel of judges who distributed more than $110,000 in investment funding for the projects.
“GreenHouse, now in its 11th year of operation, has provided social innovation and entrepreneurship education to thousands of students, and has supported, through the Social Impact Fund, the development of 120 student-run social ventures — that’s a lot of positive impact, both for the students and for society as a whole,” said Richard Myers, principal at United College, during his opening remarks on March 27 at the GreenHouse 31st Social Impact Showcase.
The freedom to be who we are is something many take for granted, but as the hate-motivated attack on our campus last year reminded us, that freedom is increasingly being tested.
As I said from the steps of the Dana Porter Library during our campus gathering shortly after the attack, it is unimaginable that such hate exists in some people’s hearts. Looking out at the large crowd that joined us that day, I was heartened to know that as a community, we are united against all forms of violence, hatred and discrimination.
StarterHacks, the beginner-friendly hackathon returning to Waterloo campus this May, grew out of a friendship between co-founders William Nippard and Marium Kirmani based on the principle that opposites attract.
University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy professor Dr.