The Entangler | Fall 2024

Professor Brian McNamara shares some final thoughts during his last term as Department Chair.

The Entangler recently had the opportunity to talk with Niayesh Afshordi, author of the upcoming book Battle of the Big Bang, a compelling exploration of competing cosmological origin stories.

Meet Daniel Wang, a driven international student from Nanjing, China who is currently completing his third year of the Materials and Nanosciences (MNS) program at the University of Waterloo.

As we mark the first anniversary of the Physics Tutorial Centre, we reflect on the journey that has transformed a modest initiative into a cornerstone of academic success and community for students in the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

Can you solve it? The Sir Isaac Newton Exam, as we all know and love it, continues to offer challenging problems to high school students around the world. Flex your Physics brains with this problem from a past Sir Isaac Newton Exam!

Can you solve it? The Sir Isaac Newton Exam, as we all know and love it, continues to offer challenging problems to high school students around the world. Flex your Physics brains with this problem from a past Sir Isaac Newton Exam!

The Department of Physics & Astronomy is proud to congratulate Dr. Rajibul Islam on his election as Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), a prestigious recognition reserved for those who make groundbreaking contributions to physics and science education. In addition to this prestigious recognition, Dr. Islam was awarded the Excellence in Science Teaching Award for his innovative and inspiring approach to teaching quantum mechanics and optics. 

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UWaterloo hosts The Sir Isaac Newton (SIN) Exam every year and this year, Zander Li from Waterloo received the highest score in the world, beating out 3076 other students from around the globe. This year, over 1200 students outside of Canada participated in the exam from countries like Australia, India, China and Japan, making it a truly international competition. 

Kaylee Biggart is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and she is not your typical graduate student! Balancing innovative research in experimental condensed matter physics, leadership as the Chair of the Graduate Student Association’s Board of Directors (GSA), and a deep commitment to reclaiming her Indigenous heritage, Kaylee has crafted a life that reflects her unique blend of passions and identities. 

For 60 years the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference (CUPC) has provided undergraduate students the opportunity to network and collaborate with their peers and industry professionals.  

The Materials and Nanosciences Society (MNS Soc) proudly represents undergraduate students in the Materials and Nanosciences program and summarizes an entire set of events over the past couple of terms.