School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability (SERS) student Maggie Chang is the 2021 Gold Medal winner. But that’s not nearly the most interesting thing about her. Chang is a poet, writer and artist whose environmental journey started in first grade when she learned about deforestation of the Amazon in school.
Years of study, hard work, headaches and triumphs have culminated in 1,298 students completing a math degree from the University of Waterloo. We offer sincere congratulations to all math students convocating.
To help commemorate the occasion, we took a trip down memory lane with Kyle Adams, one of this year’s math grads, who shared the twists, turns and highlights of his academic journey.
For Kyle, there was no question about where he should study math. As he put it, “Where else but Waterloo?”
The Governor General Gold Medal, one of the highest honours in academia, will be awarded to two exceptional University of Waterloo graduate students. Tejinder Singh, who graduated last fall from the Faculty of Engineering, will receive the award for highest standing in a doctoral program. Sara Leanne Wyngaarden, who is graduating this spring with an MSc in Health and Health Systems, will receive the award for highest standing in a master’s program. Awards like this allow our community to celebrate the impactful research and scholarly excellence of outstanding students.
As 457 undergraduate and 86 graduate students from the Faculty of Health prepare to virtually cross the stage this spring to convocate, we celebrate the hard work, perseverance, friendships and community it took to arrive at that moment – especially during a year that threw out the rule book on how courses should be delivered, how research is performed and how we interact socially with our peers.
We asked some of our award-winning graduates what it took for them to find success in a tough environment and what advice they would give to others who are currently studying.
To say Sheha Akbari made the most of her five years as a Waterloo Engineering student could just be an understatement.
She graduates June 19 in a remote convocation ceremony with a BASc in management engineering as an inventor with an Apple patent in the works, a volunteer with experience as a refugee interpreter and translator, and a passionate leader of several initiatives to help improve the lives of disadvantaged women and youth living in Afghanistan.
The University of Waterloo has committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its pension and endowment investment portfolios by 50 per cent by the year 2030 and is committing to achieving full carbon neutrality by 2040.
Over the past three years, Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars in Waterloo’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology program have been working with partners to explore and develop the qualities that make a workplace environment more equitable for Indigenous employees. Together they are contributing their findings to Indigenous Workways, a program that partners with companies and organizations to clear pathways for Indigenous employees and create safe and supportive space in organizations for Indigenous bodies and worldviews.
A Waterloo project designed to reflect an optimistic and inclusive environment is part of this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale.
The University of Waterloo has been awarded almost $1.5 million from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) as part of their $50 million investment in virtual learning. Ontario’s Virtual Learning Strategy will expand the possibilities of traditional and life-long learning through the accelerated use of both online and hybrid learning.
During his time as president and vice-chancellor, Feridun Hamdullahpur has invested deeply in the success, support and development of Waterloo students. Known for approaching students on campus to chat or say hello, Hamdullahpur often took the time to make connections. Over the past decade, he has overseen the growth and development of our campuses, a renowned co-op program and many diverse initiatives, all designed to foster student learning and growth.