Waterloo News - Research

Resilience and research in motion

Angie Docking — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:29:17 +0000

After rebuilding her academic path in Canada, graduate student Kseniia Buzko is advancing AI in sport with award-winning research.

When war disrupted her studies in Ukraine, Kseniia Buzko faced an uncertain future.

Determined not to let her education be derailed, she built a new future in Canada — earning top grades, forging international research collaborations and producing award-winning work in sports analytics at the University of Waterloo.

A new beginning in Canada

Buzko’s journey to Canada began in 2022, when studying at her home institution in Ukraine became untenable. She applied and was accepted into the first cohort of the summer program for students from Ukraine whose studies had been disrupted by the war, a joint initiative between the Waterloo and the University of Toronto. Buzko spent her first summer at the University of Toronto, and through the program, began to build early connections with the Waterloo community — an experience she describes as life-changing.

“The summer program gave me the chance to resume my education after the war disrupted my life,” says Buzko. “It offered academic stability, helped me refocus on my future and introduced what could be possible for me in the Canadian academic system.”

She later transferred to the Waterloo to complete her final undergraduate year in computer science, graduating with top marks. An internship at Waterloo.AI followed, and under the guidance of Dr. Paul Fieguth, a systems design engineering professor and Waterloo’s associate vice president – academic operations, she led a joint research project bridging her home university and Waterloo. That work became her undergraduate thesis and set the stage for her graduate research.

Inspired by that early momentum and a strong sense of belonging, Buzko knew Waterloo was the right place for her to continue her studies.

Breakthrough research in sports analytics

Now a master’s student in the Department of Systems Design Engineering’s Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Research Group — which is focused on visual processing, perception and responsible AI for real-world applications — Buzko is conducting research under the supervision of Professors David Clausi and Yuhao Chen focused on action recognition in ice hockey broadcasts.

Generic AI models often struggle with hockey, where players are smaller on screen, wear bulky gear and use sticks that standard systems don’t account for.

To improve accuracy, Buzko developed a custom pipeline called CP-Hockey. It helps the AI system better interpret hockey footage by adjusting for differences in player size on screen and by adding important visual details — like head position and stick movement — that most models ignore. These improvements make it possible to tell apart similar actions, such as different skating directions, quick stops, stickwork and puck strikes.

“These contextual priors significantly improve recognition accuracy and enable more reliable analysis of game strategies and player performance,” Buzko explains. “While developed for hockey, the methods show promise for other equipment-heavy sports as well.”

In June, her work earned the Best Paper Award at the Linköping Hockey Analytics Conference for her publication Ice Hockey Action Recognition via Contextual Priors.

Kseniia Buzko with fellow members of the Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Research Group, where she develops AI models to improve action recognition in ice hockey.

Building a community

For Buzko, Waterloo has become much more than an academic home. It’s also a place where she’s found belonging and support.

“I love being part of the VIP Lab where I can engage in meaningful research and collaborate with brilliant peers and mentors,” she says. “Beyond academics, I’m grateful to continue here my lifelong passion for playing badminton. It’s helped me build close friendships that make me feel truly at home here.”

She is equally grateful for the space that Waterloo has offered for her to heal and thrive.

“The environment at Waterloo supports not only my academic development but also my personal well-being,” Buzko says. “I feel incredibly motivated here, and I look forward to continuing my journey at Waterloo as a PhD student.”

Structured exercise significantly improves survival in colon cancer patients

Eugenia Xenos Anderson — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Landmark study is a collaboration between Canadian Cancer Trials Group, WRHN and UW WELL-FIT program

Patients in a structured exercise program experienced a 37 per cent lower risk of death and a 28 per cent reduction in recurrence or development of new cancers compared to those who received only health education materials, a recent study found.

The study, called CO.21 (Challenge), was led by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group and the Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) in partnership with the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence (CCCARE) and other clinical sites.

This unique collaboration with the UW WELL-FIT program at CCCARE enabled patients to access supervised, evidence-based exercise interventions tailored specifically to individuals recovering from cancer treatment.

“This is a model of how regional hospitals can shape international research and how local partnerships, like ours with CCCARE, can deliver global impact. We are proud to be part of the solution,” says Carla Girolametto, director of Research Operations at WRHN.

WRHN’s Cancer Centre assisted 33 cancer patients from Waterloo Region since 2009 to contribute to the research findings. A total of 889 patients across 55 clinical sites comprised the study’s findings that determined integrating exercise into survivorship care positively transforms outcomes for patients.

“This is a transformative moment in oncology and we’re proud to have played a key role in this global research,” says Dr. Stacey Hubay, medical oncologist and principal investigator at WRHN, who led WRHN’s contribution to the global study.

“We’ve long known anecdotally that exercise benefits cancer patients, but to see such clear improvements in disease-free and overall survival, confirmed by rigorous data, is extraordinary. These results suggest that exercise should be incorporated into cancer care, not just as a recommendation, but as an integral part of the treatment plan from diagnosis through survivorship.”

What began as an initiative to support individuals undergoing cancer treatment more than two decades ago, UW WELL-FIT has expanded to serve a broader patient population and offer ongoing exercise options, with clear evidence that exercise supports physical and mental well-being across the cancer experience.

Following the study’s results, additional work is being done at CCCARE, in partnership with EXE-COPP, led by principal investigator Dr. Anupam Batra, who is currently examining how exercise can offset physical and cognitive decline in men with metastatic prostate cancer.

“It’s the natural evolution of what CO.21 helped to prove: exercise is medicine,” says Julia Fraser, PhD candidate, co-investigator and research and operations manager with CCCARE.

For patients, the impact is deeply personal and transformative.

“I was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and Dr. Hubay introduced me to the CO.21 study while I was undergoing chemotherapy. At the time, I was still quite active, running and exercising, but I waited to formally join the study until I had completed treatment,” said Russel Espiritu, one of WRHN’s CO.21 study participants.

“The exercise program at the University of Waterloo gave me the motivation and energy I needed to recover from the harsh effects of chemotherapy. It also connected me with other cancer patients who truly understood the journey. After the study, I was able to return to practicing karate. Staying active during and after treatment helped me manage the side effects, physically and mentally. I truly hope these study results will encourage physicians to prescribe exercise as part of standard cancer care.”

Dr. Nicole Thomson, vice-president of quality, research and patient experience at WRHN, reflects on the broader impact. “The CO.21 study is a powerful example of how community hospitals can meaningfully contribute to high-impact research. Our participation demonstrates that with the right partnerships and infrastructure, community-based cancer programs can drive innovation, improve outcomes, and help shape the future of care, not just locally, but nationally and beyond.”

Innovative new program addresses Canadian doctor shortage

Pamela Smyth — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 01:06:06 +0000

Groundbreaking partnership between University of Waterloo and St. George’s University streamlines route to medical school and addresses shortage of physicians in Canada

As millions of Canadians live without access to a family doctor, a transformative academic program will address this shortage by offering Canadian students a streamlined path from high school to a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.

The partnership between the University of Waterloo and St. George’s University (SGU) in Grenada is a Canadian first. Their new 5-Year and 6-Year MD Tracks will allow aspiring physicians to begin their training earlier, moving seamlessly from pre-medical studies into SGU’s School of Medicine.

More than 6 million Canadians lack access to a family physician. A 2022 comparison of 37 OECD countries ranked Canada 27th with three physicians per 1,000 people.

From L to R: Laura Bruno, vice-president, student recruitment at SGU; Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine at SGU; Dr. Chris Houser, dean of the Faculty of Science at Waterloo; Dr. Laura Deakin, associate dean for teaching and learning, Faculty of Science at Waterloo. (University of Waterloo)

“This partnership is more than an academic offering — it’s a strategic response to a national healthcare challenge,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the SGU School of Medicine. “By collaborating with the University of Waterloo, we’re providing a new and guaranteed pathway for driven Canadian students to begin medical training earlier, supported every step of the way.”

Program highlights:

Earn a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSci) from Waterloo
Secure guaranteed entry into SGU’s MD program
Canadian students can skip the MCAT and apply through SGU’s simplified admissions process
Access comprehensive academic and career advising from entry to residency
Students may enter the program directly from high school or after some undergraduate study, providing flexible on-ramps to a medical career.

“The first of its kind in Canada, this program is a creative solution to help solve our country’s overwhelming need for more doctors and to keep up with population growth,” said Dr. Chris Houser, dean of Waterloo’s Faculty of Science. “With many SGU alumni already practicing in Canada, there is a clear path for graduates of this new program to return home after their studies to provide needed medical care for Canadians.”

SGU has been North America’s largest provider of new doctors for more than a decade, placing an average of 94 per cent of eligible graduates into residencies over the past five years. More than 2,100 Canadian SGU alumni are already making a difference in communities across Canada and worldwide.

The program starts in September 2026. More details and information on applying are available on the SGU website.

About the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 41,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.   

About St. George's University  
St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, and business. SGU is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The University's over 31,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. St. George's University School of Medicine is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council which has been recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). For more information, visit  www.sgu.edu.

Science

Research

Health Futures

The soundtrack of your life could be key to memory

Pamela Smyth — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:12:36 +0000

Psychology researchers studying music find what cues feelings of nostalgia

Listening to familiar music can trigger vivid memories, and new research suggests that it isn’t just sentimental lyrics or clever rhymes that take us back in time.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo investigated which component of music is most powerful in evoking memories. They compared listener reactions to hearing only spoken lyrics or the produced songs. They found that complete songs were most effective in taking the listener down memory lane because we connect them to specific times and emotions.

This is the first study to propose a reason for why songs can cue detailed memories of our past. It is part of an ongoing series looking at whether individuals with dementia could use playlists from their youth to aid recall of precious memories from their past.

“We found songs were more effective and often brought back personal memories from the time when the song was popular,” said Dr. Myra Fernandes, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Waterloo. “Music helps us remember by connecting memories to a certain period in our lives.”

Using a range of popular songs released between 2017 and 2020, the researchers asked 84 participants to listen to excerpts of pop songs and spoken lyrics. For each clip, they responded as soon as a personal memory came to mind and wrote about it. The researchers analyzed the recall speed, timeframe and the feelings that the participants reported for memories elicited by the songs and lyrics.

The results suggest that songs act as temporal landmarks, or timestamps, that help guide the brain’s search through memory banks.

The study revealed that more positive and upbeat songs were associated with greater likelihood of triggering positive memories.

“Remarkably, song cues also led to stronger feelings of re-living or re-experiencing an event. And this is particularly relevant for older adults who may have difficulty spontaneously recreating past events from their lives,” Fernandes said.

Dr. Pelin Tanberg and Dr. Ryan Yeung, who were PhD candidates working in the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab in the Department of Psychology at the time of this work, are co-authors of the paper. The study, Evidence of temporal and emotional alignment between song cues and their evoked autobiographical memories, appears in Memory & Cognition.

Arts

Research

Health Futures

New horizons for Waterloo’s Canada 150 Chairs

Angelica Sanchez — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:18:02 +0000

Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn complete their C150 terms but their research impacting the future of health and technology continue

Eight years ago, to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Government of Canada invested $117 million to launch a new initiative aimed at enhancing Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.

The Canada 150 (C150) Research Chairs program set out to attract top-tier internationally-based scholars and researchers to Canada – with two international researchers joining the University of Waterloo.

As their C150 terms come to an end, both Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn who will continue as professors at Waterloo, look back at their terms fondly and ahead to the future.

As C150 Chair in Intelligent Robotics, Dautenhahn says the Chair was a tremendous opportunity to open the Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Laboratory (SIRRL) and relocate her family to Canada following her previous role in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“This has worked out really well, and Waterloo is a great place. Collaboration across the University and with the faculties is encouraged, which is needed as my work is very interdisciplinary,” says Dautenhahn, who is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “I couldn’t have done these projects without Waterloo. It’s a place with a lot of opportunities.”

Since arriving at Waterloo, she has advanced and furthered her research in therapeutic and educational usage of social and intelligent robots. The robots have demonstrated the benefits and support that can be provided to children with speech and language challenges, along with helping children to learn about bullying and empathy.

Additionally, intelligent robots offer a tremendous opportunity to teach people without judgement, says Dautenhahn, making them highly suited for the role of a public speaking coach or a mental wellbeing coach, allowing students to practice skills and techniques.

“I really believe that there are many applications where robots can be beneficial, not replacing people, but taking advantage of the specific characteristics of robots,” she says.

For Layton, the C150 Chair in Mathematical Biology and Medicine, the different funding landscape in Canada meant more research prospects.

Dr. Anita Layton, professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology.

“With my research funding I was able to have a large group of students, branch out, collaborate, get more support — and do the things I found exciting,” Layton says. “I learned a lot about chronic disease and drug simulation — and was able to take my knowledge to the public through the media.”

She is a professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology, and this interdisciplinary lens is central to her research.

Her research team uses computational modelling tools to better understand health and disease, in an approach she describes as using mathematics as a microscope. Through the use of computer simulations and mathematical analysis, her research has revealed insights into the progression and treatment responses of chronic diseases, and how sex hormones may explain individual differences. One of her recent studies found adding more potassium-rich foods to a diet may have a greater impact on blood pressure than reducing or eliminating sodium. This work gained significant media attention for promoting a simple change that can make a difference to many people.

As her seven-year term as a C150 Chair comes to an end, she has been named a University Professor at Waterloo.

Her plans include working with collaborators and the community, supporting the advancement of faculty, guiding postdoctoral fellows in knowledge translation, and training students to become independent thinkers who initiate research direction and communicate research.

“I want to do more to elevate others,” Layton says.

Awards, Honours and Rankings

Technological Futures

WatSPEED appoints Aaron Pereira as executive director

Angelica Sanchez — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

New leadership to accelerate growth and global engagement

The University of Waterloo is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Pereira as executive director of WatSPEED, the University’s professional, executive and corporate education arm.

Pereira assumes the role following a successful tenure as managing director, client partnerships at WatSPEED, where he led the development of high-impact collaborations with industry, government and university partners. His leadership has been instrumental in expanding WatSPEED’s engagement with both Canadian and international organizations and deepening its involvement in national skills development efforts.

“WatSPEED is uniquely positioned to help shape Canada’s future workforce by connecting academic excellence with real-world skills development,” Pereira says. “It’s a privilege to lead this next chapter alongside a talented team, as we continue to build transformative learning experiences that support professionals and organizations through rapid technological change.”

With more than 15 years of experience at Waterloo, Pereira brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and cross-sector expertise to this role. His career has spanned research administration, corporate partnerships, and advanced education, with past roles including client manager, corporate research partnerships manager and manager of institutional research in the Office of Research. From managing multi-million-dollar strategic initiatives to facilitating research collaborations in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data science, Pereira’s contributions have connected cutting-edge research with real-world impact.

Pereira’s appointment comes at a time of accelerating momentum for WatSPEED, as the unit continues to scale its offerings in emerging areas such as AI, cybersecurity and health technologies. Positioned at the intersection of technology, talent and industry, WatSPEED plays a critical role in advancing Waterloo’s mission to drive innovation and societal impact.

A Message from Aaron Pereira

Watch video on YouTube

Leadership for WatSPEED’s next chapter

Joining Pereira in shaping this next phase is Karina Graf, who has been appointed managing director, marketing, brand and growth. Graf brings a strong track record in strategic marketing, digital engagement and program innovation. In her expanded role, she will lead efforts to amplify learner impact, strengthen the WatSPEED brand and drive institutional growth through high-performance marketing.

To further strengthen WatSPEED’s engagement with global and corporate partners, Jean-Paul Mouton has assumed the role of associate director, strategic partnerships and global growth. In this expanded role, he will lead efforts to deepen existing relationships, forge new global partnerships, and identify opportunities for international expansion.

These new appointments complement the continued leadership of Dean Perkins, associate director, systems, finance and operations, whose work ensures the infrastructure, resourcing and operational rigor that support WatSPEED’s mission.

Together, the team will continue to strengthen WatSPEED’s role in delivering impactful, future-focused learning experiences that support professionals, executives and organizations navigating technological change.

For more information about WatSPEED and its programs, visit watspeed.uwaterloo.ca.

Technological Futures

How to suspend one liquid inside another

David George-Cosh — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Waterloo-led research team creates “programmable” droplets with potential usage in wastewater treatment and carbon capture

Researchers led by a team at the University of Waterloo have developed a way to create tiny droplets of one liquid inside another liquid without mixing the two together.

Known as droplet templating, the technique enables the creation of a new class of nanoparticle-based soft materials with potential applications in carbon capture and wastewater treatment.

The process involves assembling and jamming nanoparticles onto the surface of an aqueous-based droplet, forming a strong outer shell that keeps each droplet intact and distinct. These coated droplets can then be filled with a wide range of nanoparticles and dried to form lightweight, porous aerogel beads.

The aerogel bead droplets are filled with magnetic particles that can be used to shield against electromagnetic waves. A magnet under the Petri dish helps to attract the droplets into the 'C' position. (University of Waterloo)

“This technique allows researchers to create hybrid aerogels by filling each droplet or bead with specific nanomaterials for different targeted uses,” said Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

“Researchers can now control not only the composition but also where each droplet is arranged within a liquid, essentially making the droplets and the resulting soft materials and aerogels programmable.”

Kamkar added that the droplet templating process could have a significant impact on wastewater treatment. The aerogel beads could be loaded with different nanoparticles, each targeting specific contaminants, and strategically packed in a column to optimize treatment as wastewater flows through it.

In the fight against climate change, aerogel beads could be infused with metal-organic frameworks and other functional materials to capture carbon dioxide from the air. Potential applications also include sensors, electronics and the aerospace industry.

“This technique allows researchers to create layered, gradient or mixed aerogels, opening up new possibilities for designing multifunctional materials,” said Kamkar, who is also director of the Multiscale Materials Design Lab. “Scientists can now control the precise location of components and nanomaterials.”

Another potential use case for droplet templating is to shield against electromagnetic waves, which can interfere with sensitive equipment. Aerogel beads filled with magnetic and conductive nanomaterials could be strategically placed in buildings like hospitals to protect patients and equipment from electromagnetic interference.

“In the modern world, we’re constantly surrounded by electromagnetic waves from electronics such as cell phones, laptops and Wi-Fi, which can negatively affect the performance of sensitive equipment,” Kamkar said.

“These waves can also cause serious health issues, such as cancer. Removing this invisible pollution from our environment is a big challenge, and these aerogel beads could help address it.”

Kamkar and the Waterloo team collaborated on this research with researchers at the University of British Columbia and Drexel University in Philadelphia.

A paper on their work, Droplet-templating soft materials into structured bead-based aerogels with compartmentalized or welded configurations, recently appeared in Material Horizons.

Second image: A suspended droplet atop a generated interfacial layer of nanoparticle (CNC)-surfactant. The top phase is hexane-POSS, and the bottom phase is CNC suspension. (University of Waterloo)

Feature image: Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering, photographed in his laboratory where he developed the droplet technology that can contain one liquid inside another. (University of Waterloo)

Engineering

Research

Sustainable Futures

Technological Futures

Is Waterloo Region ready for a million people?

Darren Mc Almont — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:00:29 +0000

The Future Cities Institute joins forces with BestWR to help measure the region’s readiness for growth

As Waterloo Region grows closer to the 2050 projection of one million people, it faces challenges shared with many growing regions and municipalities across Canada. This hopeful milestone comes with big questions about infrastructure, housing, transit, livability and the overall readiness of the region to support its residents in responsible, resilient ways.

A new partnership between the Future Cities Institute (FCI) founded by CAIVAN at the University of Waterloo, and the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BestWR), a coalition of local business leaders, is working to answer the important question: are we ready?

To help answer this question, BestWR launched the first issue of the Vision 1 Million Scorecard, a public-facing tool grounded in data designed to measure how prepared the region is across five key areas of readiness: housing supply, transportation infrastructure, healthcare services, employment opportunities, placemaking and livability. The scorecard is a living tracker of not just where the region is going, but how well it is progressing. Updated every six months, the scorecard will support the region’s efforts to direct resources to where they’re most needed.

To ensure the scorecard is credible, transparent and grounded in data, BestWR has chosen the FCI as its academic partner. This collaboration brings new depth to the project, adding academic expertise and community accountability. In the lead-up to the first review cycle, the FCI is helping to confirm baseline data and align the metrics with Waterloo Region initiatives.

“Cities receive population projections from the province,” says Dr. Leia Minaker, director of the FCI. “But most don’t have comprehensive ways to actually measure preparedness. This is the gap we’re going to help close.”

Making metrics matter

The scorecard addresses that gap by bringing traditionally siloed indicators into one accessible, public-facing framework.

“It’s a scorecard with purpose,” says Ian McLean, President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce (GKWCC). “But we need more than just good intentions. We need accurate data, academic backing and insights on how to get us to where we need to be.”

That’s where the FCI comes in. As a hub for interdisciplinary, action-orientated work and research, FCI will refine and validate the metrics and support ongoing data analysis. The FCI will also help ensure the tool evolves with community feedback and academic insights.

“We don’t want to just import a model here,” Minaker says. “This is about co-creating a regional tool that’s useful, usable and totally rooted in reality.”

Built with partners, built to last

This partnership aligns with FCI’s mission and vision of creating scalable, innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges cities and communities face today and in the future. It also highlights the FCI’s approach to partnerships: not as one-off collaborations, but as long-term ventures that create real impact in our communities.

“The scorecard is about accountability and transparency across sectors,” Minaker says. “If we want to be a community that leads, we need to have the courage to ask the tough questions, create the tools to answer them, and then work with industry, government and civil society organizations to make sure we’re all contributing.”

Just the start

The Vision 1 Million Scorecard offers a new way to tackle those challenges head-on, with evidence, experience and shared responsibility.

For the FCI, it’s another example of how impactful academia and innovative tool-making can meet the moment. Municipal leaders, industry partners and community members are all encouraged to explore the findings and join the conversation.

Defining readiness is not just a numbers game; it’s a mindset, and Waterloo Region is ready to lead the way.

To learn more and stay updated, follow the FCI on LinkedIn, or visit our website.

Study: Loneliness doesn’t raise mortality risk

Ryon Jones — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:56:17 +0000

Waterloo-led research challenges link between loneliness and mortality for older adults receiving home care

Various reports have linked loneliness to premature death, with some — including the U.S. Surgeon General — suggesting that loneliness is as harmful to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

However, a new international study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences has found that while loneliness is common among older adults receiving home care, it is not associated with an increased risk of death.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 380,000 home care recipients aged 65 and older in Canada, Finland and New Zealand. Using standardized assessments and survival analysis, they found that lonely individuals had a lower risk of dying within one year compared to their non-lonely counterparts after adjusting for health conditions, age and other risk factors.

“Our findings suggest that loneliness may not independently increase the risk of death after controlling for other health risk factors among older adults in home care,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Bonaventure Egbujie, a professor in Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences. “This contradicts much of the existing literature based on the general population.”

Loneliness prevalence — defined as the number of people per 100 who report feeling lonely — ranged from 15.9 per cent of home care recipients in Canada to 24.4 per cent in New Zealand. Interestingly, people in better physical shape and who got less help from family or friends were likelier to feel lonely, suggesting a complex link between health status, caregiving needs, and social connection.

The study urges policymakers and health-care providers to treat loneliness as a quality-of-life issue rather than focusing solely on its potential link to mortality.

“Loneliness is a serious threat to psychological well-being. The mental health consequences of loneliness make it an important priority for public health, even if loneliness doesn’t kill you,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. John Hirdes, a professor in Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences.

“Home and community care services must play a protective role by supporting social contact for isolated people.”

The authors call for longer-term studies to better understand the causal relationship between loneliness and health outcomes and to explore how cultural and care system differences influence these dynamics.

The study, Cross-National Evidence on Risk of Death Associated with Loneliness: A Survival Analysis of 1-Year All-Cause Mortality among Older Adult Home Care Recipients in Canada, Finland, and Aotearoa in New Zealand, was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

(Banner image credit: Keeproll/Getty Images)

Health

Research

Reclaiming Anishinaabeg moss bags for cultural and ecological healing

Chantal Vallis — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 14:09:14 +0000

Environment undergrad student Samantha Terry focused her final research project on supporting Indigenous families in reclaiming their relationships with Anishinaabeg parenting practices and reconnecting with peatlands

Culture doesn't vanish—it sleeps until stirred again. This idea lies at the heart of Samantha Terry’s research on Anishinaabeg moss bags.

Terry, a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Environment is Ojibwe from Temagami First Nation and of settler descent. Working with the Can-Peat research team at the WAMPUM Lab, her research documented the reclamation process of moss bags to relearn the ecological knowledge held by Indigenous mothers that connects the Anishinaabeg to peatlands.

Moss bags are made with fabric and leather which wrap tightly around an infant’s body. Traditionally, they were made with hide and stuffed with sphagnum moss (aasaakamig), which acted as a diaper for the child. The bag was laced up at the front to ensure the infant’s safety and create a tactile experience akin to the womb. Infants were placed in the bag from birth, allowing the mother to continue carrying her child while she did her day-to-day activities.

The process of sewing a moss bag.

The value of the moss used in the bags cannot be understated. Moss can hold up to 25 times its weight in water and is known for its medicinal antiseptic properties. It is important to Anishinaabeg for infant care, but also to treat wounds and used for sanitary hygiene. Once the moss was soiled, it could be washed and dried in the sun before reuse. But, if the moss was badly soiled, it could be burned or left to decompose. Its renewable properties reduced the production of waste in communities and represented the sustainable practices used by the Anishinaabeg to ensure the regeneration of the land.

These traditional teachings of care and sustainability are deeply intertwined in family and community roles. However, colonial practices like forced assimilation, the medicalization of childbirth, and residential schools profoundly disrupted these roles both in the past and present. Work like Terry’s is an important step in continuing the process of revitalizing these ancestral teachings to restore relationships between people and land, between generations past and present.

For her senior honours thesis, Terry interviewed moss bag practitioners, conducted a literature review and collaborated with Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre to host a Moss Bag Creation Workshop for Indigenous Peoples to engage in moss bag storytelling and connect to peatlands.

Over the course of the workshop, two visual drawing boards were completed by Kaite Laronde, graphic recorder from Temagami First Nation. The drawings represent the participants’ answers to questions about why it’s important to practice these traditions and reflect on what they learned.

“We have a lot of modern conveniences, swaddles and diapers, that are similar to the moss bag,” says Terry. “But I think moss bags are still deeply connected to the land even if we use fabric and ribbon now. It keeps those ties to cultural knowledge and practices and allows them to evolve with us.”

This sentiment resonated with participants who echoed the importance of reclaiming traditions and how empowering the act of learning was. Kelly, a workshop participant from Flying Post First Nation noted “it connects us to our ancestors. My ancestors are sewing with me. It's to have that understanding of the way we connect to our ancestors and how they relive through us.”

Terry points out that Anishinaabeg mothers harvesting and conservation practices have a lot of value for ecosystem management today. The Anishinaabeg have been stewards of peatlands within our territory for millennia, maintaining healthy peatland ecosystems and harvesting moss. Although current efforts within Canada are returning to the inclusion of Indigenous practices, peatlands will continue to experience dramatic impacts under climate change which would benefit from further integration of Indigenous teachings.

“With that maternal ecological knowledge and how we’re reclaiming it, we are looking at how it can also influence the Can-Peat project and use it for conservation and protection of peatlands.”

As to what that will look like, Terry will continue working with the WAMPUM Lab this summer. She plans to continue interviewing moss bag creators and practitioners to see how their knowledge can help create more opportunities for knowledge sharing and integration to benefit reclamation and conservation efforts.

“Samantha’s research exemplifies the type of Indigenous-led scholarship we strive to uplift: grounded in care, cultural continuity, and community benefit,” says Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Director of the WAMPUM Lab and professor in the Faculty of Environment. “Her work not only strengthens our understanding of the natal connection to land but also amplifies our broader goals at the WAMPUM Lab—to support Indigenous climate leadership, champion environmental justice, and ensure Indigenous women and families are centered in research shaping the future. This aligns closely with the Faculty of Environment’s commitment to sustainability and reconciliation, creating space for research that is transformative, community-informed, and deeply impactful.”

The Can-Peat research team at a symposium in Kananaskis, Alberta.

In the face of climate change and ecological loss, Terry’s research reminds us that restoration begins with remembering. “In reclaiming our cultures, we are awakening practices and knowledge that have been sleeping, not lost,” Terry says.

A note of thanks: At the WAMPUM Lab, our research is deeply rooted in relational accountability and guided by the advice of Elders and community research partners. Through our collaboration with the Can-Peat project, we’ve been honored to learn from Elders about the storied and sacred connections between moss, peatlands, and moss bags—a relationship that begins at birth and continues across lifetimes.

Environment

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Sustainable Futures