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Dr. Ville Mäkelä and colleagues at Waterloo’s Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business are redefining education through Canada’s first large-scale VR-based 3D design course. Using tools like Gravity Sketch and immersive headsets, their innovative approach blends creativity and technology, preparing students for the future of digital design. This initiative sets new standards for interactive learning and showcases Waterloo’s leadership in VR education.

Three student projects from the University of Waterloo Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business will be showcased at the Lights On Stratford festival, running until January 19, 2025. These projects, part of the GBDA 412 – Special Topics in Media Architecture course, highlight the students' ability to merge technology and the arts.

Under the guidance of David Han, students created interactive installations reflecting on local, non-human activity. The top three projects selected are:

1. A Living Entity: Animates the Avon River, emphasizing its future significance.
2. Nocturnal Visions: Highlights the roles and behaviors of nocturnal animals.
3. Fungi: Beyond the Eye: Explores the hidden world of local fungi roots (mycelium).

The course emphasizes thorough research and iterative feedback, culminating in a final presentation to a panel of community representatives.

Map the System is a global challenge hosted by Oxford University that tasks students with mapping a problem using systems-thinking tools. Students will pitch their completed "map" of their problem to a panel of judges, with the winners receiving cash prizes and the opportunity to represent the University of Waterloo at the Canadian Finals in Calgary.

A chat with CPI member Leah Zhang-Kennedy about making her own mark in the globally impactful field of cybersecurity and privacy as an Assistant Professor in interaction design and user experience research, and director of the Safe Interactions Lab at the University of Waterloo’s Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business.

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Waterloo’s Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business launched its professional graduate program way back in 2011. Today, the Master of Digital Experience Innovation (MDEI) is offered entirely online while continuing to deliver a unique, project-based experience combining creativity, technology and business.
 
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The University of Waterloo's Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business will be hosting CBC IDEAS: Visionaries in Conversation on November 16. Billed as "an opportunity to explore how we reshape the future of our tech-driven world," the event will feature speakers Cory Doctorow and Vass Bednar.

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NEXT: Immigration Services app, finalist in World’s Challenge Challenge and Concept $5K

Kent Chin (GBDA ’22) and his team, Leo Liu (Science & Business), Miley Xu (Environment & Business), and Geoffrey Qin (Electrical & Computer Engineering), are one step closer to developing comprehensive immigration support. NEXT: an Immigration Services All-In-One App has been developed by Kent and the NEXT team to make the transition to living in Canada more approachable to immigrants.

Earlier this year, a team of three Global Business and Digital Arts students participated in the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) Case Competition, placing among the top 3 finalists. This annual competition aims to match one of MLSE’s sports properties with a brand to create a mutually beneficial partnership proposal.