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The University of Waterloo officially launched its astrophysics centre today.

The Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA) is being launched to build on the University’s record of success in astrophysics, which includes the creation of the theories tested by the first-ever image of a black hole to be taken. The centre also aims to advance human understanding of phenomena such as dark energy, dark matter and the nature of supermassive black holes.

As its highest honour, the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) maybestow the title of “Honorary Fellow” on any individual who has made anoutstanding contribution to the profession of engineering in Canada, another country or globally. This honour is bestowed on an individual for contributions well above what is expected for a Fellow of the Academy. The Board of the CAE has recently awarded University of Waterloo Professor Donna Strickland with Honorary Fellowship in the CAE.

A new breakthrough is offering hope to people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

Jaspreet Dhaliwall with the students behind Oversees, Joey Champigny, Saara Manji, Arthur Catapano, Rebecca Conti and Lee Pham

Out-of-country vacations can be tricky to plan. Do you need a visa, are there specific vaccinations, can you drink the water? Medications in particular can be challenging to pack. Oversees, a company designed by five Rx2020 School of Pharmacy students, promises an easy answer to these questions.

Photo credit: Martin Lipman/NSERC

Congratulations to Anna Golubeva, graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, who has been awarded the NSERC Gilles Brassard Doctor Prize for Interdisciplinary Research. Read more about Golubeva's award on the University of Waterloo's Office of Research site.

36.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV in 2017. In the same year, 1.8 million people became infected and 940,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses. Despite the existence of antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV, the disease continues to exact a staggering cost on human life, so much so that combatting HIV and AIDS is one of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals for health. 

Giving pharmacists an incentive to talk with their patients about vaccines could prevent thousands of influenza cases each year.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that, in Ontario, Canada, introducing a $15 consultation fee for pharmacists who consult patients over 65-years-old and over could prevent approximately 2,400 influenza cases, which result in three deaths, per year.