Breaking boundaries in water research

We’re excited to announce the newly elected executive committee of the Society of the Water Institute Graduate Students (SWIGS) for 2025-26! After a successful election this summer, the SWIGS team is ready to bring fresh energy, creativity, and leadership to the year ahead.

New research from University of Waterloo and Penn State researchers suggests that fertilizer shortages linked to global conflict may be having an unexpected effect on water quality.

The researchers found that in nutrient-rich agricultural systems, farmers may be able to tap into legacy nutrient reserves already stored in the soil, reducing the need for additional fertilizer and decreasing nutrient runoff into rivers, lakes and streams.

This summer, a new collaboration will bring together members of the University of Waterloo and members of Six Nations to share a journey along the Grand River. Two Row by the Grandis a five-day, reconciliation-focused bicycle tour following the river from Cambridge to Port Maitland, taking place July 15 to 19, 2026, alongside the annual Two Row on the Grand, a paddling event that brings together over 75 participants over 10 days each July.