Dr. John Hirdes
Professor, School of Public Health Sciences
> WatSPEED
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.
The City of Kitchener has partnered with GreenHouse, a
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 The job involved manually counting vehicles, which McBride saw as outdated and inefficient, hindering the urban planning process.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.
University of Waterloo students and alumni are changing the game by launching companies with global impact for humanity and our planet. Their remarkable achievements have earned them spots on this year’s illustrious Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
The annual list highlights young entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their fields. Waterloo-linked founders were named in artificial intelligence (AI), green tech, education, food and drink and manufacturing categories.
The University of Waterloo is strengthening its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) education with two initiatives: an open online AI literacy course for its community and a Waterloo.AI workshop on generative AI in K-12 education. Together, these initiatives highlight the University’s commitment to fostering responsible AI knowledge and shaping a future where AI is thoughtfully understood and applied across all levels of education and society.
Agenek, a pioneering biotech company at Velocity, University of Waterloo’s startup incubator, unveiled a new RNA-based test that provides an unprecedented level of precision in recommending skincare products to consumers.
The skincare test offered by Agenek will provide people with a real-time biological snapshot of the needs of their skin and help them make educated choices, save time and money, and achieve better skin health.