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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.” 

The Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo is dedicated to amplifying Indigenous histories and cultures, driving the initiative to transform science education by weaving Indigenous and Western scientific teachings into the classroom.

Leading this initiative are Savannah Sloat, Manager of Science Indigenous Initiatives, and Kirsten Müller, Chair of the Biology department, who have redesigned an old biology course to include Indigenous knowledge frameworks for an inclusive educational experience.

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. 

It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the tragic passing of Shaan Nair this December. Shaan took his own life earlier this month.

Shaan was a dedicated software engineering student in his first year of study here at Waterloo. He was also a resident on campus at Village 1. 

It was Shaan’s dream to get a degree in software engineering from the University of Waterloo, and he worked hard toward his dream.

Students in Waterloo Region will have fewer financial barriers to post-secondary education thanks to a commitment of more than $3 million from the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation.  

Divided between Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Waterloo, and Conestoga College, the foundation’s investment will create the Hallman Foundation Scholars Awards for residents of Waterloo Region who demonstrate financial need. 

The awards will be open to students registered in any program at one of the three institutions.

The end of the year is a time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going.

Through the ups and downs of this past year, our community consistently demonstrated its resiliency. 2024 has reminded us of the importance of listening to one another, sharing ideas and collaborating.

It has also been full of many achievements.

This year, I asked some of my colleagues to share their highlights from 2024.

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.

Many entrepreneurs build companies to tackle problems they’ve experienced first-hand — and Kurtis McBride (BASc ’04, MASc ’07) is one of them.  

The Waterloo Engineering alum hit upon his startup idea when he was a student on a co-op work placement at a transportation consultancy. The job involved manually counting vehicles, which McBride saw as outdated and inefficient, hindering the urban planning process.