Research

Friday, May 17, 2013

Solar panels that are good for the environment and for people

by Beth Gallagher, Communications and Public Affairs

As researchers design the next generation of solar panels with nanomaterials, Siva Sivoththaman is already looking 10 years ahead:  He’s thinking about how the new, nano-enabled technologies will be safely deployed.

Sivoththaman, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, says he looks at emerging technologies through a health and safety lens so that a full picture can be considered early on.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Cold at work? SPOT will fix that.

by Beth Gallagher, Communications and Public Affairs

It might seem like a small problem – office workers who can’t get warm; others who complain it’s too hot. Trying to keep everyone happy in a building usually means nobody wins and energy costs soar.

Srinivasan Keshav, University of Waterloo
But Srinivasan Keshav, a computer science professor in the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science saw that solving the problem could reduce greenhouse gas emissions that harm the environment.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Mental Health Week: Strong, Free & Happy across Canada

by Christine Bezruki, Applied Health Sciences

This summer, Jessica VandenBussche will put the pedal to the pavement—and gravel, and dirt roads.

Jessica VadenBussche, AHS student, University of Waterloo
On June 12, the applied health sciences graduate is setting off on a two-month long bike ride across Canada to support the Canadian Mental Health Association and raise awareness about the link between physical exercise and mental health.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Does a smart charger know better than you when to plug in?

by Kira Vermond, Communications and Public Affairs

Claudio Canizares and Mehrdad Kazerani
Claudio Cañizares and Mehrdad Kazerani, University of Waterloo.

Before electric cars can rule the road in a greener future, someone has to answer the question:  How will we all plug them in at night without overloading the power grid?

Electrical engineering professor Claudio Cañizares is working on an answer.

WATERLOO, Ont. (Friday, May 3, 2013) – A nanotechnology research project to explore new battery chemistries that could lead to high-density energy storage received funding today from Natural Resources Canada’s ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative.

The research, led by Professor Linda Nazar of the Faculty of Science and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology at the University of Waterloo, will examine completely new approaches to materials and chemical components of batteries that could result in more powerful, and longer-lasting batteries for hybrid electric or electric cars.