Societal Futures

On March 5, eight local charities pitched their organization’s story and impact at the Perfect Pitch 2024 event, presented by the philanthropic organization, Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region (SVPWR). The Perfect Pitch workshop series provided each charity with a team of dedicated coaches, including University of Waterloo alumni, who offered personal coaching, practice opportunities and feedback, all leading up to their final pitch at Federation Hall.  

On February 27, panelists Dr. Geoff Bardwell, assistant professor in the School of Public Health Sciences, Drs. Lisbeth Berbary and Kimberly Lopez, associate professors in the department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, and Dr.

With an interest in academia and activism, Aaron Francis, a PhD candidate in the Global Governance program at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, stands out as an example of flourishing in every chapter of his life.

As the planet faces the pressing challenge of reducing plastic waste in the environment, new strategies for managing plastic waste are urgently needed. One of the biggest roadblocks to addressing the plastic waste crisis is the use of thermosets and rubbers — a class of non-recyclable plastics widely used in infrastructure, automobiles, planes, adhesives, 3D printing and chemical industries.

In 2020, the negative impact of the global pandemic was particularly challenging for co-op students in their first work term. In response, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) developed the award-winning Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate program to help some of the most vulnerable co-op students gain industry-driven skills and real-world experience.

Waterloo-based deep tech startup AdHawk Microsystems recently launched MindLink Air™, everyday glasses that can read its wearer’s eye health and cognitive state using research-grade, camera-free eye-tracking technology. Its real-time insights help the wearer adjust their daily routine to improve productivity and avoid mental fatigue.  

Driven by its founders’ desire to help people, AdHawk is a local success story that exemplifies Waterloo’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

A decade after it was first established, the Waterloo-founded Open Quantum Safe project now has a permanent home. Today, the Linux Foundation announced the launch of the Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA), an initiative that unites public and private technology leaders including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco, Google, IBM, IntellectEU, Keyfactor, Kudelski IoT, NVIDIA, QuSecure, SandboxAQ, and the University of Waterloo to address cryptographic security challenges posed by quantum computing.

Co-operative and Experiential Education at the University of Waterloo is building on their strengths in talent development and advanced research to equip and power learners for the future of work and lifelong learning.

Their latest innovations are engaging a new "midlife evolver" audience in work-integrated learning. An evolver is someone who may be considering or navigating a transition from a primary career and curious to explore what's next.

Near the end of 2023, University of Waterloo President, Vivek Goel and AVP Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, Christopher Taylor led a Waterloo delegation travelling to South Africa and Ghana.