Sustainable Futures

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.” 

Choosing a real Christmas tree is a cherished tradition in many families and a proven environmentally friendly choice. But like all agriculture sectors, Canadian Christmas tree farmers are facing the impacts of climate change on their growing operations.

Pests plague both the trees and farmers who work the land. Rising temperatures affect summer labour conditions, extreme storm events have triggered crop losses, and reduced snowfall in winter impacts families' experiences when selecting and bringing home their trees during the holiday season.

Twenty-two researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded more than $10 million to support their research from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF).  

The ORF Research Excellence program provides up to one-third of the total value of a research project with major strategic value to the province.  

When choosing a Christmas tree, the decision between real and artificial trees should go beyond personal preference and tradition. Dr. Kelsey Leonard, an assistant professor and Director of the Christmas Tree Lab, discusses the importance of considering the environmental impact when deciding between real and fake Christmas trees.

Which Christmas tree (real or fake) is better for the environment?

University of Waterloo students and alumni are changing the game by launching companies with global impact for humanity and our planet. Their remarkable achievements have earned them spots on this year’s illustrious Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.  

The annual list highlights young entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their fields. Waterloo-linked founders were named in artificial intelligence (AI), green tech, education, food and drink and manufacturing categories. 

University of Waterloo researchers have made a key breakthrough in developing next-generation batteries that are made using magnesium instead of lithium.

When the idea to create batteries using magnesium was first shared in a seminal academic paper in 2000, that novel design didn’t provide enough voltage to compete with lithium-ion batteries, which are predominantly used in the marketplace. Magnesium is much more abundant and less costly than lithium, which would help further sustainable energy storage.

Tucked between Waterloo and Hamilton, Maple Ridge Acres is home to a herd of alpacas plus owner and farmer Frances Stewart. After years of caring for her animals, Stewart has teamed up with researchers in the Faculty of Environment to unlock surprising new possibilities for alpaca waste.

Shahan Salim, a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences, continues to make strides in advancing air quality research and technology through his participation at the United Nations climate change negotiations, known as COP.