Talent

University students who have been anticipating their graduation — complete with celebrations, final recitals and capstone project presentations — are struggling with the abrupt end to campus activity as a result of COVID-19 closures. 

The setback prompted Mykayla Turner, who has called Conrad Grebel University College a second home during her time studying health studies and music at the University of Waterloo, to record her year-end recital in the Grebel Chapel. 

It began as a few words on a sticky note while a team of engineering students at the University of Waterloo brainstormed ideas for their fourth-year design project.

Now, little more than six months later, the students have a working prototype of a portable, low-cost ventilator they hope could soon help save lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.

“It’s a total fluke, but our project couldn’t be any more relevant than it is today,” says Connor Simmons, one of four team members from the mechatronics and mechanical engineering programs.

Offers of assistance have been pouring in from around the world since researchers at the University of Waterloo launched an open-source project last week to improve COVID-19 screening using artificial intelligence (AI). 

“My goal was to engage people worldwide to push this initiative along and I’m getting my wish,” says Alexander Wong, a systems design engineering professor who heads the Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Lab at Waterloo. “We’ve received overwhelming support and positive feedback, and we’re using it all to improve the software.” 

Mary Wells will rejoin Waterloo Engineering as the Faculty's next dean.

Wells, an accomplished materials engineer, is known for her strategic leadership in building collaborative and strong relationships within a university setting and for her work in attracting, engaging and retaining women in the engineering industry.

Wells currently serves as University of Guelph’s Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, a position she has held since 2017.

In our rapidly  changing  economy,  corporate leaders  must respond to  the  opportunities  and challenges of  the  shifting  nature of work.  Canada and the world need creative minds who can  expertly  navigate  disruption  and leverage new  technologies  to ensure a prosperous economic future.

Executives from the private and public sector explored how to future-proof the Canadian workforce by attracting and retaining top talent at the Waterloo Innovation Summit in Ottawa.

The University of Waterloo's startup incubator Velocity has launched a second venture capital fund targeted specifically at early-stage startups involved in health technology.

The announcement came Thursday evening in Kitchener during Velocity's tri-annual pitch competition.

Martin Basiri
Alumnus, Faculty of Engineering (MASc ’13)
> CEO and co-founder, Applyboard

Martin Basiri was an ambitious undergrad at a top university in Iran when he decided to study abroad for graduate school. He had already built a startup, won a national innovation competition, and excelled in school.