News

Nithin Aaron is a theorist at heart, currently studying quantum computing as a Master of Science in Physics (Quantum Information) student at the University of Waterloo. Aaron knew he excelled at math, physics, and chemistry, and particularly enjoyed physics, but it wasn’t until he took an introductory quantum mechanics course in his second year that he discovered quantum computing and was instantly fascinated. This realization led him to focus most of his upper-year electives on math and physics courses and to eventually pursue his education further in graduate school.

June marks Pride Month, a time to celebrate and honour the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. At the Faculty of Science, we draw inspiration from our incredible 2SLGBTQIA+ members, whose passion and perseverance drive progress.  

Each year, the Faculty of Science recognizes outstanding graduate research with two awards, the W.B. Pearson Medal for doctoral research and the Dean’s Award for master’s research.

From receiving a $10 million funding boost for the University of Waterloo Canadian Free Electron Laser project to recognizing our amazing students and alumni, we’ve had a rewarding term here in the Faculty of Science. Catch some stand-out moments that made the Winter 2024 term one we will never forget!

Grant Brassem is part of the third cohort of students to embark on the Quantum Technology specialization within the Master of Science in Physics program. This new 12-month, course-based degree lets him utilize the state-of-the-art IQC laboratories for independent projects and make meaningful connections with industry mentors, startups, and a community of over 300 quantum researchers.

The whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America and is named for its distinctive “whooping” calls that can carry for several kilometres. Yet, you have likely never seen or heard one before as fewer than 600 of these birds remain in the wild.

The Faculty of Science signs agreements with Caribbean medical and veterinary schools to streamline student pathways to medical school.

Fatima Abrar’s research focuses on how protein mislocalization affects autophagy in Huntington disease (HD). Autophagy is the process of removing and recycling old and damaged cell parts—you can think of it as quality control for cells. It is an essential process that helps maintain cellular health and optimizes cell performance by removing toxic and non-functional parts in the cell.

Vision impairments are on the rise, propelling the global ocular implants market to unprecedented growth, from $14.1 billion in 2022 to a monumental $22.1 billion by 2030. Yet, many potential breakthroughs stumble in clinical trials, often due to unforeseen toxicity and efficacy in preliminary research studies. Megala Ramasamy is developing a low-cost fabrication method for silicone polymers used to create advanced in-vitro eye models that simulate features of the human eye.

Nyhenflore Delva’s interest in sustainable chemistry began during her undergraduate studies as she explored ways to mitigate negative environmental impacts. She learned that adopting more sustainable industrial chemical processing could provide many benefits.