Dr. Heather Keller
Professor, Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health
> Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition and Aging
Dr. Helen Chen
Professor, School of Public Health Sciences
Faculty of Health
Dr. Crystal Senko
Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Science
> Institute for Quantum Computing
> Co-founder, Open Quantum Design
Dr. Leia Minaker
Professor, School of Planning
Faculty of Environment
> Future Cities Institute
Alex Maierean (MMath ‘24)
Faculty of Mathematics
> PhD student, Institute of Quantum Computing
> CEO and co-founder, Phantom Photonics Velocity
As commercial interest in quantum technologies accelerates, entrepreneurial minds at the University of Waterloo are not waiting for opportunities — they are creating them.
Mark Schaan (BA ’02)
Alum, Political Science
Faculty of Arts
> Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere — hailed as a revolution, feared as a disruption, but ultimately defined by how thoughtfully we choose to use it.
Did you know your optometrist is likely a University of Waterloo graduate? Or that Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy offers Canada’s only pharmacy co-op program? Waterloo doesn’t just teach — our programs transform our students into allied health professionals who diagnose, treat, rehabilitate and support patients, improving lives across Canada and beyond.
Dr. Laura Middleton, associate professor in Kinesiology and Health Sciences and Schlegel Research Chair in Dementia and Active Living, has helped develop Dementia Capable Communities: new resources aimed at communities to help promote the well-being and independence of those living with dementia.
When it comes to innovation, the University of Waterloo has long stood out — not only for its world-class research and entrepreneurial ecosystem but for a distinctive intellectual property (IP) policy that puts creators in control. This creator-owned IP model fosters an environment for innovation to thrive and has become a catalyst for global conversations about how to empower researchers while driving commercialization responsibly.