Societal Futures

Engineering and health researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a radar and artificial intelligence (AI) system that can monitor multiple people walking in busy hospitals and long-term care facilities to identify possible health issues.

The new technology — housed in a wall-mounted device about the size of a deck of cards — uses AI software and radar hardware to accurately measure how fast each person is walking.

A new study from the University of Waterloo has unveiled major privacy weaknesses in collaborative robots — calling for stronger defenses.

An eclectic mix of 30 students joined forces at the University of Waterloo to participate in this year’s Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship (SSEF) program, hosted by the Pearl Sullivan Engineering Ideas Clinic and developed in partnership with Halton Region.  

The annual, nine-week program challenges students from Waterloo and abroad to explore ideas for improved urban development and present innovative solutions that address the impact of climate change and mitigate further environmental damage.    

Service and generosity run deep in the Waterloo community, inspiring countless acts of impact both on and off campus. From participating in opportunities like the Environment Leadership Series to initiatives that reach well beyond Ring Road, alumni are making a difference for people and the planet. We caught up with Susan Brown (BES '08), Michael Hazell (BES '77), Maria Legault (BES '11; MES '14), Ryan Lo (BES '14) and Betty Rozendaal (BES ’83; MA ’87) to learn what motivates them to give their time and talents so generously through their work and volunteer activities.

The University of Waterloo is pleased to welcome 10 outstanding students to its incoming first-year class through the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarships program.  

Awarded annually to 100 high school graduates across Canada, these scholarships recognize exceptional individuals who demonstrate strong entrepreneurial potential in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each Schulich Leader receives between $100,000 and $120,000, empowering them to pursue their academic goals with financial peace of mind. 

Now playing across Canada, France, Switzerland, Argentina and Brazil, Grateful is Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae’s fourth full-length album. Produced just outside of Montreal, a city to which Keleta-Mae has deep creative ties, the ten-track album is an extension of her research-creation project Black And Free which explores themes of Blackness and freedom in the 21st century through Black expressive culture.

Waterloo students, researchers and alumni are renowned for identifying problems and developing solutions for a better future. Aileen Agada, (BASc ’21, MBET ’24), CEO and co-founder of BeBlended, is one such example of Waterloo-grown talent. 

After being turned away from 15 hair salons because the stylists didn’t have the training or skills to work with her Afro-curly hair, Agada was inspired to launch a company that would solve the problem for other people in her shoes.  

As part of a recent Government of Canada announcement, six University of Waterloo doctoral students were named recipients of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS). 

The Vanier CGS is one Canada’s highest academic honours, awarded to doctoral students who demonstrate academic excellence, research potential and leadership. These scholars join a community of researchers at Waterloo who are tackling today’s most pressing challenges through both fundamental discovery and applied innovation.