Societal futures

Uncovering the invisible side of tech

i-Capstone: From Campus to Community

Alchemy transforms nanotechnology for defence solutions

Uncovering the invisible side of tech

Digital technologies play an integral role in our everyday lives, and since this rapid growth shows no signs of slowing down, Dr. Lai-Tze Fan cautions about the many invisible aspects of the technologies we use.

“I approach this work by asking questions of invisibility. Why are these technologies made, for whom are they made, and for whom are they not made?”

Dr. Lai-Tze Fan, professor, Sociology and Legal Studies, and Canada Research Chair in Technology and Social Change

Learn how greater tech literacy can help de-risk new technologies →

i-Capstone: From campus to community

A new collaboration between the University of Waterloo and the City of Iqaluit is allowing students to apply their skills to real-world challenges — all while making a tangible difference in Canada’s northernmost city.

“This partnership exemplifies the power of academic collaboration to address complex municipal challenges. It is profoundly rewarding to see our students mobilize interdisciplinary expertise in service of the City of Iqaluit, advancing solutions that are both context-specific in the North and scalable.”

Eryn Stewart, managing director, Future Cities Institute

Discover more about the interdisciplinary initiative that allows students to bring real-world impact to Canada’s North →

ExoShield being installed on a vehicle by two installers

Alchemy transforms nanotechnology for defence solutions

Located in the heart of Waterloo Region’s Innovation District, Alchemy exemplifies how a startup can expand into a globally successful business with the support of local talent. What began as a fourth-year capstone project for a group of Faculty of Engineering students — designed as a spray for preventing frost formation on windshields — evolved into a camouflage coating used by the Canadian Armed Forces. 

“We have been supported very deeply by the Canadian Armed Forces, specifically through DRDC. Alchemy underwent various rounds of testing and received feedback from Canada’s foremost authority on signature management, Jean Dumas. We scored 95 out of 100 on our solution during the field trial and were recommended to submit a proposal for a follow-on contract to take the technology to full commercial readiness.” 

Khanjan Desai (BASc ’13), co-founder and CEO of Alchemy

Societal futures

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