Societal Futures

Four Indigenous students at the University of Waterloo are the recipients of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) awards. The $392,000 in funding supports research in the Faculties of Arts, Environment and Health and bring together Traditional Knowledge and western science.  

As Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 begins, we’re spotlighting 10 standout entrepreneurs from the University of Waterloo — students and alumni who are challenging norms, redefining industries and building a better future. These innovators are not only making waves in their respective fields but are also setting the pace for what’s next for society, health, technology, the economy and sustainability. 

The University of Waterloo has seen an increase in the number of researchers included in this year’s Highly Cited Researchers™ 2025 list recently published by Clarivate. The list highlights the world’s most influential researchers and scientists.

Those selected have authored multiple Highly Cited Papers which rank in the top one per cent by citations in their field. Citations and peer review are the lifeblood of academic research, ensuring both integrity and innovation. The Highly Cited Researchers™ list recognizes only one in 1,000 researchers from around the world.

Career paths can often stem from unexpected moments, for Sarah Fallis (PharmD ’23) witnessing her grandmother’s care at a number of Toronto hospitals as a child inspired her to pursue a career in pharmacy. Today, Fallis works as a pharmacist in Sunnybrook’s Veterans Program – Canada’s largest Veterans care facility, to provide compassionate care to those who served in World War II and the Korean War.

The solution to Canada’s housing crisis seems simple: build more affordable homes fast. But like many real-world solutions, that’s easier said than done.  

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed two innovative artificial intelligence (AI) systems that significantly improve how hockey games can be analyzed using video footage without the need for expensive equipment.

Drawing on Waterloo’s strengths in computer vision and systems design, the research advances the evolving field of automated sports analytics. The new tools address long-standing challenges in tracking fast-moving game action, including obstructed views and motion blur common in broadcast feeds.

What if your gym routine consisted of gliding across a forest, skewing fruits like a ninja, or racing on a Formula 1 track?   

That’s the vision behind Hiro, a Waterloo-based startup that is gamifying physiotherapy exercises for children with disabilities — by including people with disabilities at the research’s core.  

Four researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded $3.95 million in funding to support their research as part of the illustrious Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program.   

This year, the CRC program is investing more than $198 million to support new and renewed Chairholders. Through the program, up to $311 million each year is invested to attract and retain some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds.   

University of Waterloo researchers have received more than $4.3 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), a non-profit corporation that support research infrastructure through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF).

While founding Canada’s next tech startup or discovering a major research breakthrough are the impetus for some University of Waterloo changemakers, others use their curiosity and imagination to find ways to unlock social impact locally and globally.

In many cases, the first steps towards making a difference happen at Waterloo where students immerse themselves in a culture of curiosity, entrepreneurship and global stewardship. It’s at Waterloo where a sense of belonging and a responsibility for others can really take root.