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Mythreyi Sivaraman had no trouble relating when she tackled a research project aimed at improving Internet connectivity in the developing world, especially in times of crisis.

As a girl in her native India, she saw first-hand how poorly prepared people were due to limited communications, both before and after, when a massive tsunami devastated coastal areas in late 2004.

During the first week of Civil Engineering’s foundational course, Bob McKillop takes an informal poll of the class.

“How many of you think the admissions department made a mistake when they let you in?”

Typically, he says, nearly half of his students raise their hands.

He can relate.

Jim Wei (BASc 2000, Mechanical) doesn’t mind admitting that he barely scraped through while earning his mechanical engineering degree 16 years ago.

Learning to persevere, to do what he had to do just to graduate from the challenging Waterloo Engineering program, has been invaluable to him in the business world ever since.

“It’s a very competitive school and you’ve got to compete to survive,” says Wei, who now runs a thriving manufacturing company in Buffalo. “Books are books, they don’t teach you everything, but the environment at UW taught me a lot.”

Bjorn Dawson (BASc '16, Mechanical) was just 20 years old when he bought his first home in 2012 – and got a great business idea in the bargain. 

The previous owners were avid gardeners, so he experimented by planting a few seeds himself and discovered how much better homegrown produce tastes.

It was great news that chemical engineering professor Bob Hudgins wanted to share in writing with a top student in the early 1970s.

Back then, there wasn’t an electronic means of tracking down a home address so Hudgins needed to rely on the one listed in Waterloo Engineering’s student handbook to let the individual know on two separate occasions that he’d been awarded an academic scholarship.

The University of Waterloo welcomes home alumni for Reunion 2016 held on Saturday October 1. Events include everything from the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Fun Run to a Waterloo Warriors football game.

Find out more about how you can take part in events and celebrate Reunion 2016.

Medella Health co-founders (left to right) Maarij Baig, Harry Gandhi and Huayi Gao

A smart contact lens developed by University of Waterloo students for diabetics to monitor glucose levels is the only Canadian entry to make the shortlist in this year’s international James Dyson Award competition.

Thomson Reuters and the University of Waterloo are joining forces to fuel breakthroughs in data science and develop the next generation of global entrepreneurial leaders. The wide-ranging collaboration is valued at over CAD $20 million over the next five years and will include:

The University of Waterloo will host alumni, staff, faculty, students and members of the community on Saturday, October 1 in celebration of Reunion 2016. 

Last year, more than 3,500 guests came to campus to revisit, reunite and relive UWaterloo for reunion celebrations. The Reunion 2016 events listed are family- and kid-friendly.

Date: Saturday, Oct 1, 2016

Time: Starts at 8:30 a.m.

Location: Waterloo campus, 200 University Avenue W., Waterloo

Highlights:

A scholar and activist, who has advocated against sexual violence for more than a decade, will share current research findings about sexual violence prevention and supporting survivors with compassion at a public lecture on campus.