Awards, Honours and Rankings

See the remarkable achievements of individuals with roots at University of Waterloo recognized on 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 health care, consumer technology, science, social impact and enterprise technology categories.

The Waterloo Engineering community came together to celebrate the exceptional achievements of four alumni and an industry supporter of the Faculty at this year’s Engineering Awards Dinner.  

Hosted by Dr. Mary Wells, dean of engineering, the event recognized an advocate of applied biotechnology research, a tech business leader, an expert in novel medical devices and stem cell therapy, a globally renowned luthier and a valued friend of the Faculty. 

The recipients of this year’s awards are: 

Baoling Chen — Rising Star Alumni Achievement Medal 

On November 22, GreenHouse held their 30th Social Impact Showcase at United College, celebrating the next generation of innovators. GreenHouse is a social impact incubator for students and community members who want to create environmental or social change, with their early-stage business venture ideas. 

Richard Myers, principal at United College, speaking at the opening remarks of the fall 2023 GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase.

The University of Waterloo welcomed Royal Society of Canada (RSC) academics from across Canada, as they participated in a full-day symposium on Health and Well-being for All by 2030: Application of technology to global health problems, held at Federation Hall on November 16. 

The RSC and Waterloo share a common goal of addressing local and global challenges through future-focused solutions that have real-world impact. So, it was fitting that Waterloo hosted this year’s RSC Celebration of Excellence and Engagement conference (#COEE2023) to discuss the future of health.  

Ten University of Waterloo faculty members have been named on the annual Highly Cited Researchers™ 2023 list from Clarivate.

In addition, one former postdoctoral researcher and a PhD candidate also made the list.

Highly Cited Researchers™ are influential researchers at universities, research institutes and commercial organizations around the world who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research.

The University of Waterloo welcomes eight new postdoctoral scholars, as the inaugural group funded through the Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars and the Provo

The Government of Canada has allocated $248 million to establish 34 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) at 18 post-secondary institutions nationwide, including the University of Waterloo. On November 16, the announcement of the new CERCs was made by the Honourable Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services, on behalf of Minister François-Philippe Champagne of Innovation, Science, and Industry.

Waterloo's School of Public Health Sciences Professor Dr. David Hammond has received the 2023 Trailblazer Award in Science for Policy by the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) for his application of research to make informed, evidence-based decisions in scientific policy and regulations, namely in tobacco control. 

It turns out young adults do have some wisdom to share with older generations.

Students from across the University of Waterloo recently wrapped up Velocity’s AgeTech Innovation Challenge, a 10-day-long event conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI).

70 students in 16 teams showcased their solutions to support aging populations by enhancing older adults’ health and wellness, empowering caregivers, and bolstering the healthcare system.

Researchers at the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI) at the University of Waterloo have received funding from the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC) under the Cyber Security Innovation Network (CSIN) program. This funding marks a significant milestone for CPI,  Waterloo and the NCC — reinforcing a commitment to advance Canada's cybersecurity ecosystem.

Twenty eligible projects were awarded a combined total of $11.2 million across three categories: commercialization, research and development and training.