Jeff Shiner (BMath ’92)
Alum, Mathematics
> CEO, 1Password
From its beginnings as a small startup of just 20 employees, 1Password has grown under the leadership of CEO Jeff Shiner into a global powerhouse.
When Dr. Mihaela Vlasea’s (BASc ’08, PhD ’14) high school teacher encouraged her to apply to Waterloo’s inaugural mechatronics program, she didn’t imagine that less than 20 years later, she’d be a renowned expert in additive manufacturing (3D printing).
“I didn't really know what mechatronics was, and there was nothing to base my enthusiasm around at that time,” she says, “but I was really intrigued that Waterloo had put this together because every time they put a new program together, it skyrockets into success.”
“I used to think Waterloo was boring, but maybe I was just boring,” laughs Kaitlyn Bowles, a mathematics and business administration student. “Doing an exchange taught me how to make whatever reality I was living in the one I wanted it to be.”
Growing up in a refugee camp, third-year Economics student Kassim Ibrahim developed a strong desire to give back to underserved communities. Ibrahim knew he wanted to make a difference because he witnessed the negative impact of limited access to healthcare. A fully-funded international work experience in Uganda, supported by the Powering Change program, became his first step towards this goal.
In the current age of technological disruption, Waterloo students are striving to understand the needs of the business world and tackle the biggest challenges they face. Leveraging the University’s world-class co-op program, students gain valuable experience working at one of more than 8,000 employers connected to Waterloo.
This past year, students, alumni, researchers and staff made significant strides in addressing global challenges and advancing technology. These top 12 stories of 2024 highlight some of Waterloo’s transformative work shaping the future.
The University of Waterloo is strengthening its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) education with two initiatives: an open online AI literacy course for its community and a Waterloo.AI workshop on generative AI in K-12 education. Together, these initiatives highlight the University’s commitment to fostering responsible AI knowledge and shaping a future where AI is thoughtfully understood and applied across all levels of education and society.
Velocity, the entrepreneurship center of the University of Waterloo — the number one school in Canada for entrepreneurs — has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with The Blockchain Center in Abu Dhabi.
For Global Entrepreneurship Week, we’re spotlighting some incredible University of Waterloo entrepreneurs making a difference for humanity and our world.
Julia Baribeau (BASc ’23) is advancing her career with a unique twist on entrepreneurship as part of her journey in tackling environmental challenges. Rather than jumping into creating her own company, she’s working as an intrapreneur, bringing an entrepreneurial approach to her role within an existing organization.