News

The benefits of consuming traditional foods tend to outweigh the risks of possible mercury contamination, according to a recent study.

The research, which was part of a larger biomonitoring project to address community concerns about environmental contaminants in traditional foods, such as fish, also found that mercury exposure in people may be low even when it is sometimes present in elevated levels. Additionally, the researchers discovered that mercury levels in people in northern regions vary by season and region. 

Waterloo International and the Water Institute were delighted this week to participate in the Chile 2021 Conference of the Americas on International Education (CAEI), which took place from October 19 - 22. 

Held virtually by this year’s host country Chile with the theme “Charting the Future: Strengthening the Global Knowledge Community,” this major conference is held every two years.

The next Great Lakes Public Forum (GLPF) will be held in the fall of 2022 in Windsor, ON, and is anticipated to be a three-day hybrid in-person-virtual event with the theme “Our Great Lakes: Past, Present and Future.”

São Paulo is not only Brazil’s economic engine and financial centre but also the most populous state in the country, with around 44 million inhabitants in big cities, like the state capital of São Paulo, which has faced water security challenges in recent years. These severe water scarcity conditions impact all aspects of life, including human and environmental health. In an effort to identify new, innovative water management approaches that increase water security in both the urban and rural areas in the state of São Paulo, the Water Institute is collaborating with several Brazilian partners on a new five-year, US$1.2M project entitled “SACRE: Integrated water solutions for resilient cities” funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

In the era of Covid-19, many conferences, workshops, and in-person events have moved online. This trend is expected to continue into the future. As such, you may be asked to present your research in a virtual format. This creates many new challenges that can be difficult to navigate. While many presentation skills and best practices apply to both in-person and virtual presentations, expert presenters understand the importance of adjusting their approach to ensure a connection with a virtual audience. 

Every year Students of the Water Institute Graduate Section (SWIGS) impress with their enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment to water stewardship.

They organize best-in-class educational workshops, networking opportunities, social events, writing cafés, and community outreach activities, to name a few, on top of their graduate studies.

Annual elections for the 2021-22 SWIGS executive committee were recently held  and we are deighted to welcome the incoming team!

A startup company with deep roots at Waterloo Engineering won the top prize in a pitch contest focused on the use of nanomaterials to create or improve commercial products.

AquaSensing, which designs battery-free water leak detection systems for healthcare and industrial applications, took home $10,000, plus a spot in a virtual incubator, in the Nanomaterials Virtual Pitch Contest staged by not-for-profit NanoOntario and CMC Microsystems, a not-for-profit managing Canada’s National Design Network®.

A Waterloo School of Architecture professor’s amphibious house research in Vietnam is featured as a Global Best Practice project at Expo 2020 Dubai opening today in the United Arab Emirates.

Mark Servos, Water Institute member, biology professor, and Canada Research Chair in Water Quality Protection, has been leading early detection efforts of COVID-19 in municipal wastewater since the start of the pandemic.

Recently, his team’s work leading the University’s pilot residence wastewater surveillance program confirmed the presence of the COVID-19 in Ron Eydt Village and Village 1 residences.

Since 1962, the AGU Union Fellows Committee has selected less than 0.1% of members as new Fellows. The AGU, a non-profit organization that supports 130,000 scientists and enthusiasts worldwide in earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary sciences, annually recognizes a select number of individuals as part of its Honors and Recognition program. Philippe joins 59 colleagues in the 2021 Class of Fellows.