Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of Science Bonds!
Dear Science Alumni,
We are delighted to welcome you to the very first issue of Science Bonds, our new e‑newsletter created just for you, our valued alumni. This marks the start of a fresh way to share stories, celebrate achievements, and stay connected with the Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo.
No matter when you graduated, your time in the Faculty of Science helped shape your journey. The work you do and the paths you’ve taken reflect the passion, curiosity, and resilience that define our community. We hope this newsletter brings back fond memories and reinforces your connection to Waterloo Science.
This spring, we proudly celebrated over 700 new graduates during the 2025 Convocation. It was a powerful reminder of the bright future ahead for science and for our world. We also celebrated the success of our first-ever University of Waterloo Giving Day on May 15. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, more than $29,000 was raised to support scholarships, experiential learning, and academic initiatives that empower our students.
Each edition of Science Bonds will bring you alumni profiles, Faculty updates, classmate news, nostalgic photos, and more. As we continue to visit cities across Canada and around the world, we hope to meet many of you in person and hear your stories.
Thank you for staying connected. We are excited to build even stronger bonds with you in the years to come.
Warm regards
Chris Houser
Dean
Faculty of Science
Meaghan Middleton
Director of Advancement
Faculty of Science
Mark Hilverda, BSc ’97 (Earth Sciences), BA ’09 (Classics)
When the Mars rover Perseverance make its historic descent in February 2020, Mark and his family watched with a heightened sense of apprehension, pride and wonderment. After all, not everyone’s artwork travels 250 million kilometres to land on the surface of another world.
As a digital specialist for The Planetary Society, the world’s largest and most influential non-profit space organization, Hilverda worked with rover scientists to create artwork that would embellish the calibration target used by two of the rover’s scientific cameras known as Mastcam-Z. He designed seven icons, or vignettes, that tell a pictorial story of the evolution of life: from the creation of our Solar System, to the existence of life to space exploration. They include an image of Mars, Venus and the Earth orbiting the Sun, a DNA strand, cyanobacteria, a fern, a dinosaur, a man and woman, and finally a rocket.
Read more about Mark's journey from Science graduate to interplanetary artist, and see his artwork in Mars, art and the Joy of Discovery!
Want to be our alumni spotlight in an upcoming issue? We want to promote your stories!
Tell us what you've created or achieved, we'd love to hear about your talents. If you've published a book, started a charity, or won your local hot dog eating contest, this section is for you — let's make you famous!
Fill out our form, Let's make you famous!, to be considered for the next alumni feature!
Blast from the Past
Check out how Waterloo campus has changed, or discover what the spaces you knew them as used to look like!
The Student Life Centre (SLC) was once known as the Campus Centre, and first built on Waterloo campus in the 1960s. The first expansion increased the amount of student space, added more food locations, and study space, as well as a courtyard for both students and geese!
Recently, the SLC underwent another expansion, adding in more student spaces and connecting the SLC to the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) with the addition of new studio space, a larger climbing wall, and more.
Which era of the SLC were you on campus for?
Earth Sciences alum Tyler Ciufo reflects on his time as a student at Waterloo, and how it shaped his career bringing a sustainability mindset to the mining industry.
Science alum Greg Dick, BSc ’93 (Physics), has a passion for pulling back the veil of our universe, to share the wonders of physics with others, and is now co-founder of Open Quantum Design.
Dr. Travis Craddock aims to find new insights into our scientific understanding and potential treatments of Neuroinflammatory diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. During the latest installment of Science’s New Faculty Lecture Series, Craddock shared his research goals with alumni, students, faculty, and members of the Waterloo community.
In the ten short years since graduating, Dr. Cicely Shillingford, BSc ’15 (Biochemistry), has successfully merged her passion for pursuing personally relevant science with her commitment to advocating for equity and inclusion.
Generously funded by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), the Faculty of Science has introduced the new CNL Undergraduate Science Scholarship. We are pleased to celebrate the first recipient of this scholarship, Milena R.
Meet Cobalt, Science's mascot-extraordinare!
Our mascot Cobalt began his journey in Waterloo Science in September 2022, following the retirement of Arriba the Amoeba. Inspired by the albertosaurus in our Earth Sciences Museum, Cobalt quickly captured the curiosity of Science's students, faculty, and community. His name is laid with meaning for Waterloo Science, from the mines of Cobalt, Ontario, which helped us shape the mining tunnel between ESC and EIT, the periodic table, and the Cobalt blue colour hue that is now synonymous with the Faculty of Science.
Cobalt has danced with, high-fived, and celebrated successes with our student population, from Orientation week, through to Convocation, and all the moments in between.
Upcoming Events
*Please note, while we have made every attempt to provide accurate dates at the time of newsletter publication, some events may still be subject to change.
To stay informed about events or upcoming advancement team travel in your area, please update your information to receive the must up to date information for your area.
Science Alumni and Community Events
Perseids Sky-watching Party and Astronomy Lecture: August 12, 2025
New student Orientation Week: August 31 – September 6, 2025
Homecoming: September 20, 2025
Shaun Frape Retirement Celebration: September 26, 2025
Northern Lights Aero Foundation Gala: October 4, 2025
Fall convocation: October 24, 2025 - Alumni volunteers needed!
Science Open House and Gem and Mineral Show: October 25, 2025
Farvolden Lecture: October 27, 2025
Fusion Conference: November 15, 2025
Upcoming Science Advancement Travel
Let us know if you're around, we'd love to meet up with you!
Vancouver and Seattle: October 15-17, 2025
Texas (San Antonio area): October 19-21, 2025
Saudi Arabia: November 16, 2025
Science advancement travel dates and locations are added throughout the year. Be sure to keep your address updated to hear about visits to your area.
Waterloo-wide Alumni events
Seattle Summer Social: August 7, 2025
New York Alumni Chapter Bryant Park Movie Night: August 11, 2025
Waterlo Alumni Chapter Ice Cream Social: August 12, 2025
Singapore Chapter Summer Social: August 18, 2025
Warriors Baseball Golf Tournament: August 22, 2025
Ottawa Alumni Chapter Ice Cream at the Park: August 23
Waterloo Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Golf Outing: August 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Days University Night: September 10, 2025 - SOLD OUT
Alumni Snaps
Spring convocation 2025 - welcome to our newest Science alumni!
Science alumni in Ottawa at the Canadian Society of Chemistry Conference reception
Science alumni's Bench to Bedside discussion on neurodegenerative conditions
Science alumni in Toronto at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada conference reception
Class Notes
Look at where your classmates are now!
Following Waterloo Science degrees, our alumni move across the globe sharing their talents and skills, and making a difference in their workplaces industry, academia, as well as in their personal lives.
Do you have an update to share? Whether it's a new job or retirement, a life update like you got married or had a baby, or even crossed off a dream bucket list achievement, we want to share your news! Let your classmates know what you're up to now by submitting a class note.
Alexander Li
BSc '25 (Science and Aviation)
Alexander Li started a new position with Wasaya Airways, and was recently promoted to the YXL Station Operations Coordinator. It's a new role in Sioux Lookout for Wasaya and will help coordinate operations between Wasaya's 2 largest bases, Sioux Lookout (in terms of flight) ad Thunder Bay (HQ and Planning).
James Stapleton
BSc '24 (Biology)
After completing 3 co-op terms at Roche, James has returned there full time as part of Roche's Operations Rotational Development Program, a program which places recent university graduates in four 6-month rotations in different teams across Roche's Technical Operations department. After completing placements in external collaborations strategy for cell & gene therapies, as well as supply chain logistics for clinical trial materials, James is looking to continue to round out his acumen in the realm of cell and gene therapy, including, but not limited to, quality assurance and manufacturing strategy.
Manouchka Bucktowar
BSc ’22 (Science and Aviation)
After graduating in 2022, Manouchka began her aviation career as a Safety Officer, investigating occurrence reports for Chartright Air Group’s SMS department. She is now flying the freshly manufactured Pilatus PC-12 NGX — the company’s first single-engine turboprop, known for its ability to land on both paved and unpaved runways — as a First Officer!
Tyler Marques
BSc ’19 (Science and Business)
Tyler, alongside Alex Duffy, recently released an AI benchmark that focuses on collaboration and communication between frontier AI Models. The models interact within the context of a board game that relies on forming alliances with other players, and later in the game, strategically betraying those allies. It showcases the model’s ability to strategically lie and cheat to achieve its objective and is extremely valuable in safety research as we continue to give the models access to the broader web. Being part of the Waterloo community is why I followed down the software path and have continued to build in this space.
Ashley Stegelmeier
BSc '15, MSc '17 (Biology)
Ashley joined Liberum Biotech in February as a Research Coordinator. Liberum is accelerating protein discovery by combining machine learning with cell-free biology. Their industry leading cell free lysate system makes enzyme and antibody discovery easier, faster, and less expensive. Ashley’s role focuses on strain engineering and high throughput sequencing to optimize protein production.
Diego Garzón
BSc ’00 (Biology)
From Waterloo to Manhattan, Diego is grateful to be staying engaged in science, leading corporate development at Apertura Gene Therapy. A passion that started with a strong foundation from the UWaterloo Science program. He is "very much in love with work and spouse and never thought my career would take me to working in Manhattan."
Lee Waterhouse
BSc ’91 (Honours Biology)
Lee retired after 30 years of teaching primary aged children. The favourite part of her day was always "teacher read aloud" so when Covid-19 first closed schools, she embarked on a quest to record the last half of Harry Potter so her class could hear the ending. In her last year of teaching, she started learning everything she could about audiobooks. Today, Lee is a full-time narrator at her in-home professional studio.
Andrea Waldie
BSc ’89 (Earth Sciences)
Andrea was recently appointed interim CEO of Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO). She also was awarded the Geoscientists Canada 2025 Professional Geoscientist Award, recognizing her distinguished leadership and commitment to public protection.
Greg Forman
BSc '87 (Physics)
Following his BSc in Honours Physics in 1987, Greg embarked on a successful career in fibre optics; engaging with internet pioneering researchers, manufacturing engineers and business leaders at Nortel/Ciena while coordinating with contract manufacturing in North America, Europe and Asia.
Pivoting after retirement from industry in 2020, Greg now volunteers in the social services sector at shelters, a children's hospital and an indigenous health centre.
Pat Rasmussen
BSc ’81 (Applied Earth Sciences, Geology), PhD ’93 (Earth Sciences)
Pat was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognizing her outstanding achievements for Canadian communities. As a leading research scientist in Health Canada’s Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, her work focused on collection and chemical analysis of Canadian House Dust. She also led a successful effort to advocate for critical scientific rigour and integrity in the process of generating international testing guidelines under development by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Don't see your classmates? Get the conversation started by submitting your own update!
Science Alumni Puzzle Contest – Check your letters
Determine the element, constant, amino acid or mineral in Moh’s scale of hardness that each of these letters or groups of letters represents, then find this word in the puzzle grid. Once you’ve found each word, read the unused letters leftover in the word search to uncover a quote from Waterloo Science’s Nobel laureate Dr. Donna Strickland.
As an example, the first word has been solved and found in the puzzle.
Download a printable version of this puzzle
He ___helium____
K _____________
Co _____________
Ag _____________
Sb _____________
W _____________
I _____________
Zr _____________
Leu _____________
Phe _____________
Ser _____________
Tyr _____________
Gly _____________
Cys _____________
Pro _____________
Ile _____________
k _____________
h _____________
g _____________
R∞ _____________
F _____________
NA _____________
c (2 words) _____________
R (2 words) _____________
CaCO3 _____________
SiO2 _____________
Al2O3 _____________
CsF2 _____________
C∞ _____________
Al2SiO4(OH,F)2 _____________
Ca5(PO4)3(OH,Cl,F) _____________
Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 _____________
Enter the puzzle contest
To enter the contest, send in the final phrase, along with your full name, email address and mailing address to science.alumni@uwaterloo.ca. All correct answers will be entered into a random prize draw. To be eligible for the draw, your answers must be received before Friday, August 29, 2025 at 11:59 a.m. ET. If your entry is drawn, we will contact you by email and coordinate mailing your prize. In order to be eligible for the prize, you must include your current email and mailing address in your submission.