Societal Futures

Dr. David Drewery is the associate director of the Work-Learn Institute — a research, education and consulting unit at the University of Waterloo that advances work-integrated learning programs for employers and higher education institutions.   

His current research investigates how employers can connect with Gen Z’s work values to attract and retain talent through work-integrated learning programs. We asked Drewery how Gen Z can help create equitable and resilient economies in the future. 

Dr. Ming Li  
Professor, Faculty of Mathematics  
> Cheriton School of Computer Science 
> Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics 
> Founder, Bioinformatics Solutions Inc.  

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, an estimated 230,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year.  

Rachel Almaw was awarded the 2022 Faculty of Health Co-op Student of the Year. She worked for three co-op terms in the Mobilize Clinical Biomechanics research lab, which is based in Waterloo’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. It was through these co-op terms that she found her calling. 

Almaw focuses her research on the intersection of health and race. We asked her what needs to change in Canada’s approach to data collection and research to create a more equitable health-care system. 

Jonathan Fugelsang
Professor, Faculty of Arts

In an era of rapidly spread information, distinguishing between what’s meaningful and profound and what’s misleading nonsense has never been more vital to a productive society.

The University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Perimeter Institute, hosted the TRuST Scholarly Network’s Conversations on Artificial Intelligence (AI), a dynamic and engaging discussion that delved into the societal impact of AI. The event was also supported by the Waterloo AI Institute, which is dedicated to developing human-centered AI for social good, fostering trust with industry partners, and scaling responsible solutions to enhance lives.

The impact of community can often be overlooked or dismissed. As undergraduate students in the Faculty of Science, Emma Collington (BSc ’19, MSc ’22) and Samantha Fowler’s (BSc ’19) experiences as students with disabilities drew them together, and inspired them to build a community.