Societal Futures

Dr. Lai-Tze Fan
Professor, Sociology and Legal Studies
> Canada Research Chair in Technology and Social Change
> U&AI Lab

Digital technologies play an integral role in our everyday lives, and since the rapid growth shows no signs of slowing down, Dr. Lai-Tze Fan cautions about the many invisible aspects to the technologies we use.

Dr. Talena Atfield
Professor, History
> Canada Research Chair, Tentewatenikonhra'khánion

Dr. Talena Atfield’s work to restore and regenerate Hodinohso:ni cultural knowledges starts with the title of her Canada Research Chair: Tentewatenikonhra’khánion, which translates to “We Will Put Our Minds Together.”

Dr. Leia Minaker
Professor, School of Planning
> Future Cities Institute

Cities drive the global economy and are home to vibrant and diverse communities. Yet they’re also facing complex challenges. From rising housing costs and aging infrastructure to climate change, the disruptive impacts of technology and an aging population, the need to address overlapping issues has never been higher.

Dr. Robert Jan van Pelt, a professor in the School of Architecture, is renowned for his research into the architecture and design of the Nazi concentration camps and gas chambers.  

His research became public when he took the stand as the key expert witness in a notorious British libel trial that pitted British Holocaust denier David Irving against American historian Deborah Lipstadt. His testimony, portrayed in the 2016 film Denial, was a key factor in the verdict clearing Lipstadt of the claim of libel. 

The Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo is dedicated to amplifying Indigenous histories and cultures, driving the initiative to transform science education by weaving Indigenous and Western scientific teachings into the classroom.

Leading this initiative are Savannah Sloat, Manager of Science Indigenous Initiatives, and Kirsten Müller, Chair of the Biology department, who have redesigned an old biology course to include Indigenous knowledge frameworks for an inclusive educational experience.

Twenty-two researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded more than $10 million to support their research from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF).  

The ORF Research Excellence program provides up to one-third of the total value of a research project with major strategic value to the province.  

Many entrepreneurs build companies to tackle problems they’ve experienced first-hand — and Kurtis McBride (BASc ’04, MASc ’07) is one of them.  

The Waterloo Engineering alum hit upon his startup idea when he was a student on a co-op work placement at a transportation consultancy. The job involved manually counting vehicles, which McBride saw as outdated and inefficient, hindering the urban planning process.  

Climate change is beginning to make early-season cancellations a regular part of winter sport competitions.

As winter sport organizers deal with increasing climate-related problems operating races, a first-of-its-kind study from the University of Waterloo offers athlete and coach insights on how competition organizers can improve the safety, fairness and feasibility of winter sports.