Convocation is a time of immense pride and celebration across campus. This year, 13 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2024. Among these exceptional individuals is Shahed Saleh, a remarkable engineering valedictorian who has made significant contributions during her time at Waterloo.
Shahed Saleh (BASc ’24) is a 2019 Schulich Leader who chose Waterloo to cultivate her skills as an innovator. During her time at the University, Saleh served as the mechatronics class representative for five consecutive years as an advocate for students. Her dedication extended beyond the classroom, with several undergraduate research positions at Waterloo’s Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Lab (SIRRL), RoboHub, and the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Lab.
These positions enabled her to publish five research papers, win several awards for her engineering designs, and be named an IEEE Human-Robot Interaction Pioneer in 2021 for her work with SIRRL.
In her final year, Saleh and her capstone team developed OSCAR, an autonomous surface rescue robot designed to navigate open water to locate and assist overboard victims. This innovative project received several awards, including the Mechatronics Best Overall Capstone Award, first place at the Norman Esch Pitch Competition, and third place at the OEC Innovative Design Competition.
Saleh is graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechatronics Engineering. She will continue to pursue her passion for engineering, user design and business, as a product manager at CoLab Software, a company designing the world’s first design engagement system.
Go to Celebrating Waterloo’s Class of 2024 valedictorians for the full story.