Waterloo News - Environment

Natural disasters are increasingly putting the value of properties at risk

Sam Charles — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 11:45:00 +0000

Experts say homeowners and governments need to be more proactive as they face the increasing risk of wildfires and flooding

Whether it’s flooding in Toronto or forest fires raging in Alberta and Manitoba, climate change is pushing natural disasters into populated areas and having a dire impact on communities.

The threat to many homeowners extends beyond property damage and risk of life. The value of their homes and properties could be at risk.

“In Canada right now, few property owners actually know if their property is exposed to any type of climate risk, whether flooding, wildfires or landslides,” says Dr. Jason Thistlethwaite, professor in the Faculty of Environment and co-lead of the Climate Risk Research Group at the University of Waterloo. “We very much like to keep our heads buried in the sand on this. But information and data are powerful tools that can help us direct our community resources towards prevention and preparedness.”

Watch video on YouTube

Recent events around the world, including the fires in Los Angeles and the flooding in the North Coast of Australia, should serve as a further reminder that Canada is not immune from the catastrophic impact of major climate influenced events.

While governments around the world have put in place response teams and protocols, according to researchers there has not been a focus on preparedness. Governments are also off-loading responsibilities to regional and local governments.

“Every dollar governments spend building a community to withstand a disaster like a flood or wildfire has a tremendous return on investment, but it is not rewarded with voters,” Thistlethwaite says. “It’s the opposite in the aftermath of a disaster when a government knows it will lose votes if it doesn’t spend enough on recovery to help people get back on their feet.”

Thistlethwaite says there are many similarities within health care. He says our health-care systems struggle to allocate resources, policy and people to preventative medicine, but when someone gets sick or injured the system responds well.

“Canada is about 10 to 15 years behind its G7 counterparts when it comes to pro-active disaster management,” Thistlethwaite says. “The U.S. has the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which, despite its critics, has a huge budget and tends to be a lot more proactive and experimental than Canadian authorities. The U.K. even has a property address lookup to measure your risk.”

Waterloo researchers from across disciplines are collaborating to analyze and innovate in the areas of preparedness, mitigation and recovery. In the most recent survey conducted by Waterloo researchers about natural disaster awareness in Canada, it was found that only six per cent of Canadians who live in a high-risk flood area were aware of the danger. Insurers and governments have the tools to inform Canadians about these risks, but are reticent to do so because of a fear of influencing property values.

According to Thistlethwaite, it comes down to a lack of data. “I’m working on a project to improve the efficiency of risk assessment so it doesn’t take a bunch of supercomputers or expensive consultants for a municipality to understand whether they can safely build needed housing near a floodplain or wildfire zone safely,” he says. “This involves collaboration with engineers, geospatial specialists, actuaries and policy people.”

Thistlethwaite says you should be able to use your address to access comprehensive information on your property’s exposure to any type of risk.

“You should be able to access the implications for insurance related to that risk and disaster recovery systems in place in your area, and you should know about subsidies and local services that could support you in making informed choices to help protect your property.”

Currently, none of that information is readily available.

He has also explored other policy approaches, including whether or not government-initiated buyout programs would be an effective approach to reducing the flood and fire risk for people and property.

“It is imperative that we consider every option when it comes to resiliency, preparedness and mitigation, so that our communities stay safe.”

It can be challenging to look beyond the fear of disaster and what it can mean to one’s business and property values, but according to Thistlethwaite, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“We need to start treating property owners as adults, by providing clear and transparent information about disaster risk, then we can start coming up with solutions to protect and prepare for what’s ahead.”

Technological Futures

Waterloo partnership aims to build 10,000 ‘missing middle homes’ by 2030

Darren Mc Almont — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:18:36 +0000

A new partnership between the FCI and BUILD NOW is reimagining affordable home ownership across Waterloo Region and Canada

The Future Cities Institute founded by CAIVAN (FCI) at the University of Waterloo is teaming up with BUILD NOW to redefine what affordable, attainable housing looks like in Waterloo Region, and beyond.

At the heart of this ambitious collaboration is an urgent question with national attention: how can Canada create affordable and sustainable paths to home ownership, especially for the next generation?

Through BUILD NOW, a $500-million initiative led by Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, the Region is aiming to build 10,000 new “missing middle” homes by 2030. These homes, made up of townhouses, walk-ups, mid-rises, and high-rises will fill the gap between single family homes and high-rise condos. Setting this initiative apart is the fact that 70 per cent of these homes are designed for ownership, using a legal model that keeps them affordable in perpetuity.

As part of the development, FCI is embedding a living lab in the first 25-acre development site near RIM Park, where more than 1,000 homes will be built. The parcel of land for this development was recently transferred from the City of Waterloo to BUILD NOW.

“What makes this transformational is not just the size, but the mix of what we are going to build,” says Philip Mills, CEO of Habitat Waterloo Region and BUILD NOW. “It’s ownership housing, and it’s family-sized units. With a 70 per cent ownership to 30 per cent rental split and a committed focus on three- and four-bedroom units, we are prioritizing what the community needs to continue to grow and thrive.”

It’s here that the FCI’s interdisciplinary researchers will closely track and help shape the evolution of these neighbourhoods, studying everything from health and mobility to inclusive design.

“This isn’t just about housing,” says Dr. Leia Minaker, director of the FCI. “It’s about building new systems of opportunity as well as resilience. Our living lab will bring rigorous, real-time research into how these homes and communities change lives, for the people who will live here, and the region itself.”

This partnership draws on FCI’s strengths and expertise across applied research, data modelling and community engagement. Already, more than 40 researchers from all six faculties at the University of Waterloo are contributing their knowledge. Local and international partners will also support the living lab’s ability to assess and amplify the economic, health, technological and societal impacts of community-led housing that prioritizes affordable homeownership.

Over the past decade, Canadian home prices have surged by more than 77 per cent, with the average house reaching more than $710,000, far outpacing income growth and widening generational inequities. This lack of access to ownership has even been framed by the RCMP as a potential national security risk.

With the rising cost of home ownership, current affordable housing initiatives in Canada prioritize rentals, often overlooking the social and economic value of home ownership. At the same time, the environmental footprint of housing remains a major challenge due to construction emissions and car-dependent community designs.

“The FCI was founded to tackle the most pressing urban challenges using data and evidence,” Minaker says. “This project gives us a great chance to study a major housing initiative in real time. Our role is to track what works, what doesn’t, and find ways to share those evidence-based learnings with other municipalities.”

The living lab also reflects the University of Waterloo’s Global Futures, bringing together academia, industry, government and the public to address the world’s most pressing challenges. It’s a powerful example of Waterloo’s strengths in applied education, interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurship.

BUILD NOW’s first homes will break ground soon, but the impact of this partnership with the FCI will extend far beyond that. Through evidence-based models, stakeholder engagement and shared learning, the FCI-BUILD NOW collaboration aims to shift not only how we build these new homes in Waterloo Region, but how we talk about and imagine the future of housing in Canada.

As Minaker puts it, “What we’re doing here is building a blueprint for transformation, backed by research and designed to scale.”

Environment

Community

Societal 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.

Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:45:21 +0000

Waterloo welcomes more than 7,700 new graduates to its alumni club and celebrates their bold new journeys

Spring 2025 Convocation was a spectacular celebration of dedication, resilience and triumph. As graduates crossed the stage, their hard work and perseverance shone brightly after navigating some of the most challenging times in recent history, including beginning their degrees during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across five days and 14 vibrant ceremonies, Waterloo’s campus came alive with the cheers of proud families, friends, faculty and staff — all gathered to honour the incredible accomplishments of our graduating students.

“I was truly inspired by the remarkable accomplishments of our graduates,” says Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “As each new graduate transitions to Waterloo’s remarkable alumni community, they are poised to tackle global challenges and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for humanity and our planet.”  

Behind the scenes, the magic was made possible by a dedicated team of 207 staff and alumni volunteers, 94 student ambassadors and seven retirees. From ambassadors and ushers to stage support and accessibility assistants, these incredible individuals ensured that every moment ran smoothly for thousands of graduates and their loved ones.

A total of 230 PhD, 957 master’s and 6,155 undergraduate degrees were conferred to new alumni during Spring 2025 Convocation. Here are some of the memorable moments from the ceremonies.

‘Curiosity is my own superpower’

In the chancellor’s address to the Class of 2025, Dr. Jagdeep Bachher (BASc ’93, MASc ’94, PhD ’00) encouraged graduates to unlock new possibilities by remaining curious and embracing the changes occurring around them.

“Waterloo is a place of change, innovation and new, bold beginnings. ‘What supercharges new beginnings?’ Curiosity,” he said. “That means asking audacious questions of yourself and of others.”

Bachher further encouraged graduates to be steadfast in their values in the face of injustice and external pressures.

“What makes me proud to be your chancellor is your courage. The courage to stand up for what’s right, to challenge the status quo, to be kind when it’s easier not to be, and to choose inclusion, humility and decency … even when the world doesn’t reward those things. These are my Sikh values, these are Canadian values, these are human values,” he shared.

Watch the Chancellor’s full speech on YouTube

‘The perfect year to graduate’

On June 11, Faculty of Mathematics valedictorian Keeley Isinghood (BMath ’25) delivered a creative address on why 2025 is the perfect year to graduate from Waterloo. As her fellow mathematicians would appreciate, Isinghood used numbers, equations and percentages to inspire her peers.

“There is something special about the number 2025. 2025 is a perfect square — 45 times 45 gives you 2025,” she explained “Some of you may be thinking that this is not so special, but only those aged 89 or older were alive for the last perfect square year, 1936, and it will be 91 years until the next perfect square year, 2116,” she said. “So, for the majority of us in this room, 2025 is the only perfect square year we will live to see.”

Isinghood also encouraged the graduating class to make the most of every moment even when things don’t seem to add up.

“Our lives are the sums of all the events, the perfect and the imperfect.”

Watch Isinghood’s full speech on YouTube

Remembering Mana Mao (BSc ’25)

After passing away suddenly from a medical issue in December last year, Mana Mao (BSc ’25) was posthumously awarded a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, which was accepted by her mother, Anisa Mohamed and father Hussein Haji. Mao is remembered by her colleagues and professors in the Faculty of Health as a dedicated student and active member in university sports, who also served as a trainer for the women’s volleyball team. In a show of support, the audience stood and applauded for more than two minutes to honour Mao’s achievement.
Watch the moment her degree was awarded

‘You get to carve your own path’

Learning is continuous. This was the message Faculty of Engineering valedictorian Chinemerem Chigbo (BASc ’25) shared with his graduating colleagues on June 14.

“Real learning happens beyond the lectures and labs, in moments when you face problems that weren't listed anywhere on the syllabus,” he shared. “If at any point we stop learning, we stop growing. So don’t just think of yourself as a graduate of the University of Waterloo. Think of yourself as a lifelong undergraduate. Embrace each day with curiosity and a sense of adventure.”

Watch Chigbo's full speech on YouTube

A moment to remember

A proud Faculty of Science graduate celebrates convocation with a heartwarming selfie alongside his baby and the chancellor.

Sarah Dupuis (BA ’25), who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Development Studies (Honours), shares how the accessibility of online education at Waterloo connected her with opportunities she thought to be out of reach.

Together, we celebrated not just a milestone, but the beginning of your bold new journeys. Congratulations, Class of 2025 — your future is bright, and the world is ready for your brilliance.

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

Research

Sustainable Futures

Scorecard measures gaps in wildfire preparedness

Pamela Smyth — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:52:33 +0000

New tool could help municipalities across Canada with disaster resilience

In response to recent devastating wildfire seasons in Alberta, a new tool is helping communities in the province determine, reduce and better manage their risk as forecasts suggest these events will become more frequent.

The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, in partnership with FireSmart^TM Alberta, released a new report entitled, From Risk to Readiness: Enhancing Alberta’s Wildfire Preparedness Through the FireSmart™ Scorecard. The Scorecard helps communities assess and strengthen their wildfire readiness. Evaluating 10 critical areas, such as vegetation management, emergency planning, and training for emergency responders, this tool could be customized to help communities across the country save people, homes and infrastructure from wildfires.

In 2023, over a thousand wildfires in Alberta broke records with the size of the area they destroyed — including more than 100 homes — triggering mass evacuations and causing widespread concerns over air quality. Last year’s wildfire season was equally intense, with nearly 1,200 fires, including the Jasper Wildfire Complex, which displaced 25,000 people and destroyed a third of the town.

“The Scorecard helps communities move from reacting in a crisis to proactive wildfire preparedness,” said Dr. Anabela Bonada, managing director, climate science at the Intact Centre. “There used to be no way for municipalities in Alberta to measure this specific risk. Now they can identify strengths, pinpoint gaps and focus investments to build long-term resilience to wildfires.”

In 2024, 10 pilot communities tested the Scorecard across Alberta. While the average overall grade was a B, municipalities’ individual results per category ranged from A+ to fail. The pilot revealed strong emergency planning and training capabilities, but systemic barriers to preparedness including funding constraints, limited staff capacity, weak enforcement powers and confusion regarding which municipal authority to regulate wildfire risk.

“Despite areas of strength in wildfire preparedness across Albertan communities, caution should be paramount, as fire will exploit outstanding weak links in the chain to wreak havoc”, said Dr. Blair Feltmate, head of the Intact Centre. “As wildfires grow in number and size, Canadians must prepare for all dimensions of resilience, not as a choice, but as a necessity.”

The report calls for action to overcome these obstacles, including:

Expand and Simplify Provincial Funding so that more communities can navigate the application process for financial support to fund community wildfire preparedness.
Legislative Reforms to increase the authority of municipalities to enforce wildfire-resilient construction.
Give Direction to homeowners on simple actions they can take to protect their homes from risk of wildfire.
Improved Guidance to raise awareness among municipal workers on zoning and landscaping to reduce wildfire risk in areas where communities meet forests and grasslands.

Expanding the adoption of the Scorecard Alberta-wide would provide all municipalities with a standardized framework to prioritize investment in resilience, allocate resources effectively and prepare communities for increasing wildfire risk to protect lives and property.

“In leading this effort, Alberta could pave the way for a coordinated, nationwide approach to community wildfire resilience,” Bonada said. “The early onset of simultaneous wildfires in 2025 across Alberta, Manitoba and Newfoundland underscores the need to mobilize wildfire protection immediately.”

Full details of the report and Scorecard are available on the website for the Intact Centre.

(Photo credit for banner image: Schroptschop/Getty Images)

Environment

Research

Sustainable Futures

Celebrating Waterloo’s Class of 2025 valedictorians

Angelica Sanchez — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Meet the 14 exceptional students representing Waterloo’s newest grads

Convocation marks a significant milestone for University of Waterloo graduates. This year, 14 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2025.

Their selection as valedictorians demonstrates their dedication and creativity within their faculties. Below, they share parts of their academic journeys filled with inspiring tales of overcoming challenges and embracing opportunities for growth.

Congratulations to our 2025 Waterloo valedictorians and fellow graduates, who now join a powerful network of more than 255,000 alumni who are making an impact on the world.

Watch video on YouTube

Why did you choose to study at the university of Waterloo?

Raksha Aravind (BSc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.

Raksha Aravind’s (BSc ’25) was drawn to Waterloo for its remarkable Kinesiology program.

“The program mixes everything — biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, nutrition and even social sciences — and it gave me the full picture of human movement,” Aravind says.

She completed three co-op terms as a research assistant in the Nutrition and Aging Lab, earning the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research award. Her work focused on nutrition risk in older adults and supports the development of screening tools to improve early health assessments for underserved communities.

Aravind is preparing to write the MCAT and aspires to practice medicine in Canada as a surgeon. “For me, medicine is not just about diagnosing or treating — it’s about understanding the humanity of each patient,” she says.

Daisy Birch (BA ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Arts and Business in Honours Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies, and a minor in Human Resource Management, and certificates in Global Experience and Community Leadership.

Daisy Birch (BA ’25) chose Waterloo for its interdisciplinary Arts and Business program, which allowed her to combine her deep interest in business with her passion for sexuality, marriage and family studies.

A standout moment in her academic journey was studying abroad in Athens, Greece — an experience she describes as transformative. On campus, Birch served as a Student Ambassador for four terms and a Residence Life Don for nine terms. Another highlight was presenting at the 2020 Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers Residence Life Conference, where she earned a Top 5 Presenters award for her work on fostering consent culture.

“One thing you should know about me is that I always have at least five plans in the works, so don’t be shocked if you see me on Broadway or on your television someday,” she says.

Putri Cullinane (BES ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Environment, Resources and Sustainability.

For Putri Cullinane (BES ’25), Waterloo’s renowned co-operative education program and interdisciplinary pathways made it the ideal place to combine her passions in environmental studies and economics.

A highlight of her student journey include a two-week field course in Atlantic Canada and completing her undergraduate senior thesis on the experiences of women entrepreneurs in informal water markets. Being a valedictorian has very special meaning for Cullinane.

"With both my parents still living in Indonesia and having sacrificed a lot for me to be here, I feel incredibly honoured to have been nominated,” she says.

After convocation, Cullinane will join the Canada Water Agency as a policy analyst, a role she worked in part-time while completing her final year at Waterloo.

Keeley Isinghood (BMath ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Mathematics in Honours Biostatistics and a minor in Pure Mathematics.

Keeley Isinghood (BMath ’25) came to Waterloo to pursue her love of numbers and problem-solving. In the Biostatistics program, she discovered a meaningful way to apply math to real-world challenges and a supportive community who deepened her passion.

“I remember one night, I finally solved a problem that I had been stuck on all week — it was a wonderful feeling to figure it out on the whiteboard with the help of my friends,” Isinghood says. “Working on mathematics collaboratively has always been a highlight of my degree.”

Isinghood was active in student life, from Women in Mathematics and MathSoc to participating in the curling club and intramural sports teams. She is especially proud of mentoring 20 first-year students as a peer leader in the Honours Math Living and Learning Community.

Isinghood will begin her Master of Mathematics in biostatistics at Waterloo this fall.

Salahuddin Said (BASc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Salahuddin Said (BASc ’25) vividly remembers attending a university fair in Grade 11 and asking every booth about their co-op programs. Waterloo’s emphasis on real-world experience quickly made it his top choice.

“Waterloo has a prestigious name in engineering, and co-op really helped me find what I enjoyed working on and finding my place in engineering as a whole,” he says.

While at Waterloo, Said supported classmates with resume critiques, job applications and mock-up interviews. He also created a technical interview question database, which more than 30 students contributed to and used for their full-time job applications.

“The achievements I feel the proudest are not so much what I have done myself, but what I have been able to do for others,” Said says. “I’ve been incredibly lucky with my co-op experiences and opportunities across different avenues, and because of that, I’ve been able to pay it forward to other students.”

Lyvia Yanover (BSc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Astronomy.

After attending one of Waterloo’s fall open houses, Lyvia Yanover (BSc ’25) knew she found the right fit.

During her undergraduate studies, she served as a Science Ambassador for three consecutive years and volunteered as a tutor at the Physics Tutorial Centre.

“I’m proud of finishing both PHYS437A and B research courses, where I worked on researching a hypothetical model of the Big Bang with Dr. Niayesh Afshordi,” she says. “I also managed to fit a minor in Mathematics into my degree, which I’m extremely happy with.”

Being named valedictorian holds both a deep and personal meaning for her. “It means I pushed through the difficulties of my university experience, despite everything that happened in my personal life that made it harder,” she says. “It’s something I know my mom, who passed away in 2023, would be proud of.”

She will be returning this fall to pursue a Master of Science in Physics, supervised by Dr. Will Percival, a distinguished research chair in astrophysics.

Tell me about some of the achievements you are most proud of to date.

Chinemerem Chigbo (BASc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering.

Chinemerem Chigbo (BASc ’25) chose Waterloo for its strong reputation in innovation, co-operative education and academic excellence — especially in computer engineering.

He found joy in hands-on learning like building a hair-cutting robot with a friend. Through UW Blueprint, Chigbo helped develop technical products for nonprofits and later founded his own organization, providing pro bono software maintenance to keep essential tools running effectively.

“Being chosen as valedictorian is deeply humbling,” he says. “It reflects not only my own efforts, but also the support of my peers, professors and family. It’s a privilege to represent our shared journey, struggles and successes.”

After convocation, he will volunteer in Nigeria teaching technical skills to youth.

“I’m passionate about creating opportunities through education,” Chigbo says. “Access to technical skills can empower young people to shape their own futures.”

Viren Pandya (BA ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

One of Viren Pandya’s (BA ’25) proudest achievements is co-founding the Hindu Students Council, which grew from a simple idea into a vibrant community that fostered cultural connection and belonging.

“It wasn’t just about creating a cultural club,” Pandya says. “It was about creating a space where students could connect, celebrate their culture and find support.”

Pandya sees his selection as valedictorian as a testament to the support he received from friends, family and professors. Representing his class and all they have overcome is a memory he will cherish forever.

“It isn’t just a title, but a reflection of my university journey — how much I’ve grown, how many times I have struggled and how every setback was just a steppingstone to something bigger,” he says.

Pandya will be starting a full-time position at Ernst and Young in Toronto.

Mankirat Singh Sains (BASc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering.

Mankirat Singh Sains (BASc ’25) describes being named valedictorian at one of the world’s leading universities as deeply meaningful, especially coming from a small school in Uganda.

“It’s more than a personal milestone — it’s a tribute to the sacrifice and unwavering support of my family, to whom I owe everything. Their belief has carried me here, and this moment is for them,” he says.

At Waterloo, Sains was nominated for Co-op Student of the Year by five employers and won an intramural championship. But it was the friendships and memories — like Engineering Day, with purple ring toss, laughter and professors in the dunk tank — that he cherishes most.

Nina Tan (BCS ’24) graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science.

Before coming to Waterloo, Nina Tan (BCS ’24) carefully planned her ideal university experience, aiming to complete each co-op term in a different city. She succeeded by living and working in Vancouver, Boston, Mountain View and Munich.

“I’ve always loved adventures and exploring new places, so the co-op program really appealed to me,” Tan says. “I still look back fondly on the memories and friendships I made in each one.”

She also held several executive leadership roles within Women in Computer Science (WiCS), which include serving as director of Publicity, Outreach and Mentorship. Over the course of her degree, Tan helped organize numerous professional, mentorship and community-building events that became a meaningful part of her university experience.

Tan will be returning to Google, one of her former co-op employers, as a software engineer. In the long term, she hopes to build solutions in sustainability, education and women’s health, while reacquainting herself with old hobbies like singing and arts and crafts.

What is one of your fondest memories as a Waterloo student?

Matthew Jones (BAFM ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management with a specialization in Financial Markets.

Like many Waterloo students, Matthew Jones (BAFM ’25) used the co-op program to explore different industries and roles, learning more about himself with each experience. Jones was actively involved in the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), supporting first-year students and leading peer initiatives.

“Mentorship played a pivotal role in my own development early on, so it’s been incredibly meaningful to contribute to that same supportive SAF community,” he says.

One of his most cherished memories is playing on Waterloo’s frisbee team, where he eventually became team captain.

“Being part of the [team] allowed me to connect with an incredible group of people from across different programs. It was a highlight of my university experience,” he says.

He will be starting a full-time position at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto.

Michael Hanley (BASc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nanotechnology Engineering with a Nanoelectronics Specialization and a Physical Science Option.

Michael Hanley (BASc ’25) remained deeply engaged in campus life throughout his time at Waterloo. His fondest memories are the friendships he built — late-night study lounge talks, game nights, snowball fights, parties and countless shared moments that reminded him there’s more to university life than academics.

“I’m very lucky to have met people that I can call life-long friends during my time here at the University,” he says.

Hanley placed second at the Nanotechnology Engineering Capstone symposium and led Waterloo’s Midnight Sun team in building a solar-powered car from scratch for three years.

“Being able to make something so complicated from nothing, while doing it with a great group of people was amazing,” Hanley says. “I was even able to drive the car during the competition at the Formula Sun Grand Prix — one of the most rewarding things I have done.”

Hanley will be moving to California to join Tesla as an associate manufacturing engineer.

Karen Abdel Sater (BMath ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Mathematics in Honours Mathematical Economics.

Karen Abdel Sater (BMath ’25) began her degree during a global pandemic, balancing her studies and extracurricular activities while adapting to a new environment. She turned these challenges into motivation, becoming deeply involved on campus — joining student clubs, serving as a residence life don and leading the Waterloo Arab Student Association.

“Building connections and creating spaces where people felt at home added a whole new dimension to my university experience,” Abdel Sater says. “It made me stay grounded in my own culture while encouraging others to embrace both our similarities and differences.”

For Abdel Sater, being named valedictorian is about representation. As a Lebanese woman in mathematics, she hopes her story inspires others to pursue unconventional paths.

Abdel Sater will join the Royal Bank of Canada, where she previously worked as a co-op student, to work full-time as a data engineer.

Meera Thavarajah (BSc ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Medical Physiology.

Meera Thavarajah (BSc ’25) reflects on her many different roles during her time at Waterloo. She held executive positions in student clubs like Make-a-Wish Canada, Big Spoon Lil Spoon, Waterloo’s Lion’s Club, hera.co and the Science Society. Thavarajah also worked with Campus Housing, research labs and shared her student experience as a TikTok creator.

“As the daughter of immigrants who did not have the opportunity to attend post-secondary, I’m proud to dedicate my degree to them in recognition of all their efforts and sacrifices that paved my way for success,” she says.

Thavarajah will be attending the University of Toronto this fall to pursue a Master of Kinesiology. In the future, Thavarajah plans to pursue medical school and advocate for inclusive, compassionate health care — especially for children.

“I want to make people feel seen, heard and cared for, regardless of their background or circumstances,” Thavarajah says. “As a person of colour myself and second-generation immigrant, I am passionate about bridging communication gaps in the medical field to create more inclusive care for all.”

Awards, Honours and Rankings

Co-op and Experiential Education

Community

Talent

Merging theatre and environmentalism earns student top academic honour

Chantal Vallis — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:45:08 +0000

Environment and Arts student, Eloise Fan, reflects on how studying her twin passions led not only to a BES, but also to academic distinction

For Eloise Fan, studying at the University of Waterloo was never about choosing a single path — it was about creating one that merged her passions for theatre and climate change.

As she graduates with a joint honours degree in Environment, Resources and Sustainability and Theatre and Performance (co-op), she is being awarded the Alumni Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement in the Faculty of Environment as well as the Departmental Award for distinguished academic achievement.

Raised in Hong Kong and born in Australia, Fan came to Waterloo as an international student, drawn by the rare opportunity to study both her passions at a high level, and to test those interests in the real world through co-op.

Over her four co-op terms, she worked with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada on First Nations climate adaptation and environmental policy, taught outdoor education and collected ecological monitoring data at the rare Charitable Research Reserve, and supported backstage operations and stage management at Tarragon Theatre and the University’s own Theatre and Performance program.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had two jobs that looked the same,” she laughs. “But all of them taught me something about how people work together, how stories are told, and how we care for the places we live.”

That spirit of interdisciplinarity carried into her coursework. Her final-year thesis in the Faculty of Environment used forum theatre, a participatory form of performance, to explore climate anxiety and community-based resilience. On the flip side, she brought in climate change themes through essays in her theatre courses.

“ERS318: Photography for Sustainability was another course highlight,” she says. “I used photography to explore how sustainable material choices in set design could reduce environmental waste in the arts. It was a class that let me see environmental communication through a different lens. I think those moments of crossover helped define my degree.”

Her academic work was only one part of a vibrant campus life. From serving on the Environment Resources and Sustainability Student Association (ERSSA), to mentoring younger students at orientation and helping shape curriculum through the SERS Undergraduate Education Committee, she was an anchor of community for many peers.

“I found so much meaning in giving back — helping others feel welcome, helping them find their footing,” she says. “Student organizations create this special kind of intergenerational knowledge. It was really powerful to be part of that. As students, we hold so much collective strength, and we need to remember that.”

In 2023, she spent a double work term abroad on academic exchange at the University of Wollongong in Australia, taking courses in environmental crime and justice, Indigenous Peoples and the environment, ocean policy, and theatre and politics. “It was an incredible chance to apply everything I’d learned at Waterloo in a new context. It helped me realize just how connected my disciplines really are.”

Blending theatre and environmentalism has become more than just an idea — it is her mission. Since finishing classes, Fan has begun work in the theatre industry. Her first show was The Assembly, a production that uses theatre and a board game format to teach sustainability and decision-making to middle school students. The show was recently nominated for multiple Dora Awards. Now she is working on Waitress at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope and plans to stay in Canada for the foreseeable future to explore what’s next. Wherever she lands, collaboration will be at the center.

“If I’ve learned one thing, it’s this: working across disciplinary boundaries is one of the greatest strengths we can develop. We are living in a world where the extractive systems of capitalism and colonialism are intrinsically linked to climate catastrophe and genocide in Palestine, Sudan, Congo and so many more places. You can teach hard skills, but how we solve problems together, how we relate to each other, that’s what the world needs more of.”

“There’s no official job called ‘climate change theatre,’ but I think that’s part of the point,” she says. “Our generation is inventing new kinds of work, and I want to make art that contributes to change. Art is what makes us human, and art is also resistance. I’m figuring out how to keep merging these worlds.”

When it comes to looking back at how she got here, she is quick to credit others: Environment professor, Dr. Rob de Loë, and Director of Production & Theatre Operations, Janelle Rainville, who mentored and encouraged her, fellow students who inspired her and, above all, her parents.

“They’ve supported me from the other side of the world — every step of the way. I literally wouldn’t be here without them.”

As for what she’ll miss most about Waterloo? It’s the little moments. “Hanging out at the ESS coffee shop or in the theatre green room… sometimes getting work done, sometimes not. Seeing the geese on campus.”

Fan along with 400 of her peers will have their achievements celebrated at the Faculty of Environment convocation on Tuesday, June 10. As a parting thought to her fellow classmates and future students, she offers: “Don’t be afraid to follow two passions, even if they don’t make sense at first. There’s strength in crossing boundaries. That’s where some of the most meaningful work begins.”

Arts

Environment

Awards, Honours and Rankings

Co-op and Experiential Education

Community

Three Waterloo graduates earn prestigious gold medals

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:15:00 +0000

The Governor General Gold Medal awards graduate students for their remarkable academic achievements and transformative research

The University of Waterloo is pleased to recognize three outstanding graduate students as recipients of the prestigious Governor General’s Gold Medal at Spring 2025 Convocation.

This distinguished award honours graduate students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and a remarkable commitment to scholarly excellence. These recipients exemplify the brilliance and impact of our academic community, contributing transformative research and advancing knowledge for the betterment of society.

Each year, the Advisory Committee on Graduate Scholarships and Awards carefully reviews nominations to select the medal recipients. Nominees who are not selected will be recognized as University Finalists and will receive a certificate of distinction.

This year, we are delighted to present the Governor General’s Gold Medal to one master’s and two PhD graduands. Please join us in celebrating their extraordinary accomplishments and the inspiration they bring to our academic community.

Laura Pierson (Master of Mathematics in Combinatorics and Optimization)
Faculty of Mathematics
Supervisors: Drs. Oliver Pechenik and Logan Crew

Laura Pierson’s research applied algebraic tools to the study of discrete mathematical structures. She studied colouring problems (like finding all ways to colour a map so that neighbouring countries get different colours) using deep and modern ideas from pure mathematics like homology and K-theory. Pierson proved several unrelated conjectures that had been posed by established mathematicians. She was also the first to make significant progress on multiple other open problems.

“I chose to study at Waterloo because unlike most schools, it has an entire Faculty of Mathematics, with a whole department uniquely focused on the area of math I'm most interested in,” she says. “I don't think there are many schools where I could have been surrounded by so many people with similar mathematical interests to me.”

Pierson plans to pursue a PhD in mathematics.

Dr. Michelle Anagnostouo (PhD in Geography)
Faculty of Environment
Supervisor: Dr. Brent Doberstein

Dr. Michelle Anagnostou’s research examined global illegal wildlife trade — a significant and growing form of organized crime which intersects with other forms of serious crimes like trafficking in drugs, humans and arms — a phenomenon called “crime convergence.”

Her work also explored the types and global patterns of crime convergence in illegal wildlife trade by uncovering its conceptual and theoretical foundations.

Her dissertation is comprised of data from interviewing 112 law enforcement personnel and other experts in key source, transit and destination regions that include Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong.

“I chose the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment for its reputation as a leader in innovative research and its vibrant, world-class faculty,” she says. “Throughout my PhD, I received outstanding support in career development, skill-building, and had the privilege of working with exceptional mentors who guided me every step of the way.”

Immediately following her doctoral defense in the fall of 2024, Anagnostou took up a prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Oxford, working with global experts in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science to advance the use of financial investigations to mitigate illegal wildlife trade.

Dr. Fasih Rahman (PhD in Kinesiology)
Faculty of Health
Supervisor: Dr. Joe Quadrilatero

Dr. Fasih Rahman’s doctoral research investigated the role of mitochondrial remodeling pathways in skeletal muscle, emphasizing mitochondria as critical regulators of both energy production and cellular health. His findings have significant implications for therapeutic approaches aimed at maintaining skeletal muscle health.

During his doctoral studies, Rahman authored and co-authored 32 conference proceedings, and published 32 full-length papers and book chapters, including contributions to leading journals such as Autophagy.

Rahman is continuing his research as an NSERC-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, aiming to expand his expertise in bioenergetics and metabolism. His current goal is to bridge the gap between mitochondrial stress responses and metabolic regulation.

“One of the things I will miss the most about Waterloo is the opportunity to work closely and collaborate with passionate peers in a research environment that consistently fostered curiosity, creativity and growth,” he says.

Master’s finalists

Aparajita Bhattacharya, Public Issues Anthropology

Supervisor: Dr. Alexis Dolphin | Faculty of Arts

Felicia Mae Watterodt, Geography

Supervisor: Dr. Brent Doberstein | Faculty of Environment

Doctoral finalists

Dr. Esther Ai-Leng Foong-Reichert, Pharmacy

Supervisors: Drs. Kelly Grindrod and Sherilyn Houle | Faculty of Science

Dr. Sepehr Hajebi, Combinatorics and Optimization

Supervisor: Dr. Sophie Spirkl | Faculty of Mathematics

Dr. Megan Olivia Kelly, Psychology

Supervisor: Dr. Evan Risko | Faculty of Arts

Dr. Aravind Ravi, Systems Design Engineering

Supervisors: Drs. Ning Jiang and James Tung | Faculty of Engineering

Technological Futures

From discovery to impact: Celebrating our PhD graduates

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:15:00 +0000

Six Waterloo graduates share their stories of perseverance, innovation and advocacy as they prepare to cross the stage at convocation

The path to earning a PhD is rarely straightforward. It demands not only intellectual depth through rigorous coursework and research, but also creativity, resilience and interdisciplinary thinking.

Throughout their doctoral journey, candidates push the boundaries of conventional knowledge — developing innovative approaches to address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Their research opens new frontiers and contributes to solutions that can shape a healthier, more sustainable future. As we celebrate our PhD graduands at Spring 2025 Convocation, we invite you to learn more about a few of their stories as they prepare to cross the stage and step into the next chapter of their journey.

Dr. Tasneem Alsayyed Ahmad, PhD in Philosophy

While pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy, I was introduced to feminist philopsophy and social epistemology and wanted to apply these ideas to contexts familiar to me.

As a woman from a Muslim background, I noticed a troubling gap in scholarship on the topic since the literature was either Islamophobic or contained very strict and narrow views of Muslim women’s experiences. This motivated me to address the marginalization of Muslims in academic discourse.

My doctoral research critically examined hijab debates and veiling practices with a focus on how these discourses are manipulated to marginalize Muslims. Specifically, I explored how both Western imperialist narratives and Islamic right-wing politics exploit hijab-related discourse, reinforcing colonial ideologies while obstructing solidarity among Muslim women.

My work reveals how dominant narratives about the hijab silence diverse Muslim voices and perpetuate epistemic and social injustices.

I chose the University of Waterloo to work specifically with my supervisor Dr. Jennifer Saul and was happy to find a department supportive of my focus on Islamophobia and gender. Having taken up a position as assistant professor at the University of Canada West, my goal is to grow as an educator, to challenge colonial knowledge and to continue my research on the social and epistemic oppression of marginalized groups.

Dr. Nicole Sandra-Yaffa Dumont, PhD in Computer Science

Six years ago, during my master’s degree, I started learning more about artificial intelligence (AI) at a time when the field was evolving quickly. While I found AI fascinating, I kept wondering, ‘What — if anything — do artificial neural networks reveal about real brains? Can we use models to reverse-engineer cognitive processes?’

Those questions pulled me toward theoretical neuroscience, where my PhD research, under the supervision of Drs. Chris Eliasmith and Jeff Orchard, focused on building biologically plausible neural network models of spatial cognition. I was interested in how the brain represents space and the neural mechanisms behind navigation — and what those mechanisms can tell us about cognition more generally. 

I hope the findings of my research will not only advance our understanding of navigation in the brain but also push the field to rethink how we model cognition more broadly — from memory and planning to social behaviour.

Looking ahead, I’ll be pursuing postdoctoral research since I would like to extend my expertise to understand how computations underlying spatial navigation may apply to other domains like navigating a social landscape.

Dr. Muzi Li, PhD in Astrophysics

At five years old, I was captivated by the vastness of space and time, during a visit to the Beijing Planetarium with my grandmother. I knew shortly after that visit that I wanted to become an astronomer, but never imagined a childhood fascination would one day lead me here.

My PhD research how the energy released by supermassive black holes at their centers can precisely offset cooling in the surrounding hot gas, keeping the system in balance.

I was drawn to the University of Waterloo after a visit to the Perimeter Institute in 2018 where Dr. Brian McNamara — who later became my supervisor — gave a talk on finding the missing cooling gas in galaxy clusters. That brief visit and talk also gave me a strong impression: Waterloo is a young, vibrant and intellectually exciting place to be.

As I head back to China to continue my astrophysics research as a postdoctoral fellow, I hope my contribution to the field can be tested and refined by more precise observations in the future, helping to complete a small part of the puzzle in our understanding of galaxy clusters.

Dr. Arlene Oetomo, PhD in Public Health Sciences

I have always been a nature lover and a bit of a technology nerd. In 2018, during the heatwave in Ontario and Quebec, I thought, “What could we do to prevent individuals from dying indoors from extreme heat, especially if they don’t have air conditioning?”

That question was the impetus for my doctoral research at the University of Waterloo where I explored indoor temperatures of low-income homes across British Columbia and Ontario. Importantly, my research intersects with climate science and technology and demonstrates how interdisciplinary action is key to tackling the climate crisis.

My research, under the supervision of Dr. Plinio Morita, supported heat response efforts like checking on vulnerable tenants in person or via phone by using smart thermostats and creating a system to provide real-time temperature alerts.

While the thermostat is a ubiquitous device, it also demonstrates how there are solutions to our biggest problems, including the climate crisis, all around us.

The findings of my research will empower my advocacy efforts to protect vulnerable populations via policy, legislation, and awareness building of the dangers of extreme heat.

Dr. Ade Oyegunle, PhD in Sustainability Management

As the world faces increasingly complex challenges including climate change, my research helps to bridge the gap between climate science and financial decision-making.

Having worked as a sustainability professional in the financial industry, I was motivated to pursue this area of research after realizing that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a systemic financial risk.

My PhD research explored the intersection of climate policy, financial risk and banking regulation, with a focus on how climate transition risks like carbon pricing affect the credit risk exposure and financial stability of banks.

My research found that as carbon prices rise, the risk of financial distress increases for companies with high carbon footprints. This, in turn, increases the risk to banks that lend to them.

I chose to pursue this research at the University of Waterloo because of its strong reputation for interdisciplinary research, innovation and applied problem-solving. The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development offered a unique platform to explore the intersection of climate change, finance and policy, something that few other institutions could provide in such an integrated way.

Looking ahead, I want to help translate my research into action, ensuring that financial systems evolve to meet the demands of the climate transition.

Dr. Fatima Suleiman, PhD in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering

After completing my undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, I dreamed of designing the next revolutionary product. In 2015, I attended a conference in Lagos, Nigeria, where Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple was asked, “Who represents the future of engineering innovation?” His answer on the transformative power of an interdisciplinary background stuck with me — and ultimately led me to pursue a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and Graduate Diploma in Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo — renowned for its commitment to interdisciplinary research.

My PhD research focused on improving temperature measurement for advanced high strength steels (AHSS), which helps the automotive industry produce lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I was drawn to this area of research after taking a course on heat transfer with Dr. Kyle Daun, who later became my supervisor.

At the start of this research project, I hoped to eliminate pyrometry errors entirely. I hope my research will contribute meaningfully to the much larger collective effort towards mitigating climate change, specifically by enabling more precise thermal control during AHSS processing, which in turn supports more sustainable vehicle production through improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced emissions.

Technological Futures