Sustainable Futures

Imagine the moon as a hub of manufacturing, construction and even human life. It's no longer a far-fetched idea baked in science fiction lore — increased interest and investment in space exploration are pushing efforts to develop the technologies needed to make the moon a viable home for humans.

The journey to completing a PhD is not always smooth nor linear. Beyond the intellectual rigour of coursework and research papers, pursuing a PhD requires unconventional and, at times, interdisciplinary thinking.  

Through the years of pursuing a doctoral degree, candidates’ critical research helps to unlock conventional barriers by developing new and creative approaches to tackling complex problems.  

Waterloo PhD graduates undertake ground-breaking research projects that can often have global impact and lead to a healthier, more sustainable future.  

The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo is pleased to congratulate IQC Canada Inc. for receiving $18.4 million in funding over the next five years, from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada’s  Strategic Science Fund (SSF). 

The Government of Canada announced funding for several University of Waterloo faculty members through the New Frontiers Research Fund (NFRF).

There is no recipe or instruction manual for building inclusive spaces because they can never be constructed — they are cultivated. But if you ever speak to a member of the Games Institute (GI) at the University of Waterloo, they’ll share how they get to work and learn in an inclusive, judgment-free ecosystem. 

Aspiring entrepreneurs have long benefited from the innovation ecosystem at the University of Waterloo, an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation excel amidst a unique blend of co-op, work-integrated learning opportunities and customized wrap-around supports. 

This traditional innovation ecosystem, however, wasn’t reaching the needs of aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.

An idea that combined solutions from multiple AI models to predict wildfire growth took the top prize at the first hackathon at the University of Waterloo intended to identify cutting-edge solutions for wildfire management. 

Beluga whale populations in the Arctic are under threat due to increased on- and off-shore activities such as oil and gas development and climate change.  

Keith Cleland (MASc ‘22)
Student, Faculty of Engineering
> Founder, Aqua-Cell Energy
> Velocity

As someone born and raised in Calgary, Keith Cleland initially thought he would end up working in the oil industry. “Being from Alberta, that seemed like the natural thing to do,” he says.

Nfinite Nanotech has raised $6.5 million USD in seed funding to scale its nanomaterial product: a coating for sustainable and biodegradable food packaging that will help divert plastic waste from landfills. The University of Waterloo startup is developing an ultrathin and high-performance material for consumer-packaged goods, like granola bar wraps and potato chip bags, that keeps them fresh longer without the use of excessive non-biodegradable plastic packaging.