Stories behind the PhD: Waterloo grads shaping the future through research

“Share Meet the Waterloo PhD graduands whose paths of curiosity, resilience and insight are leading to new possibilities For many, the path to a PhD begins with a question and unfolds into years of exploration that rarely follow a linear path. There are moments of discovery and doubt, breakthroughs and setbacks, each shaping both the research and the researcher. Doctoral researchers push into unchartered territory where curiosity, creativity and persistence intersect. Behind every thesis lies a story of late nights, unexpected turns and the determination to keep going when answers remain out of reach. As we celebrate our PhD graduands at Spring 2026 Convocation, we invite you explore few of their journeys and the possibilities of what’s to come. Dr. Margaret Ellis-Young | Faculty of Environment I came to the University of Waterloo with an interest in gentrification and displacement, but my research quickly evolved into something deeper. During my first year, a course on Indigenous Peoples and community planning challenged me to confront how “mainstream” planning has long been shaped by settler colonialism. That shift led me to examine how municipal planning processes in cities like Vancouver and Montréal are engaging with Indigenous–settler reconciliation, and where they are falling short. Through my PhD in Planning, I explored how planners understand their roles in advancing reconciliation amid urban redevelopment. While I found promising policies and new approaches emerging, I also saw a need to expand how reconciliation is understood in planning and to better support non-Indigenous planners in challenging entrenched practices that perpetuate displacement. Looking back, Waterloo was the natural place for this journey. I had built a strong foundation here while pursuing my master’s degree, and I valued the School of Planning’s collaborative community. Alongside my research, I balanced life as a parent of two young children, which grounded me throughout the process. I hope my work encourages meaningful change, specifically in making space for Indigenous planning priorities in the cities we continue to shape. Dr. Karmvir Padda | Faculty of Arts I began my PhD in Sociology at Waterloo wanting to understand violent extremism, but my research quickly revealved a pattern I couldn't ignore. Across millions of online posts from incel forums, thousands of manosphere podcasts, and decades of extremist manifestos, I kept encountering the same thread: misogyny. Using a mix of computational tools and qualitative analysis, I found that hatred toward women often connects other forms of extremism, from racism and antisemitism to anti-authority violence, acting as a warning sign we too often overlook. My research ultimately showed how digital spaces can transform grievance into ideology and, in some cases, violence. This work is deeply personal to me. Growing up, I was explicitly and implicitly told that girls should take up less space. Those experiences stayed with me and ultimately shaped the questions I chose to pursue in my research. At Waterloo, I found the flexibility to work across disciplines — from sociology and criminology to computer science and public policy — the University created a community that supported bold, unconventional thinking. My goal is to push conversations about extremism to take gender-based violence seriously, especially in policy and prevention efforts. Ultimately, I hope my journey shows others — especially women and first-generation students — that they belong in these spaces and can help reshape them. Dr. Youssra Rahham | Faculty of Engineering My research journey in porous media began during my master's degree, when I developed patented surfactant formulations for enhanced oil recovery in tight reservoirs. Later, during my PhD, I redirected the expertise I gained in porous media physics and interfacial science toward an environmental challenge: the fate of nanoscale pollutants in water aquifers. At Waterloo, I worked with Dr. Marios Ioannidis to investigate how hydrophobic nanoparticles, including nanoplastics, are transported and retained in complex porous environments such as groundwater systems. Using a combination of experiments, theory and modeling, I sought to better understand how these nanoparticles interact with fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interfaces. The University of Waterloo provided an ideal environment for transitioning from one field to another, offering both a strong foundation in engineering and the flexibility to pursue interdisciplinary research questions. I also discovered a passion for teaching, which allowed me to gain valuable classroom experience while completing my doctorate. I hope my work contributes to the development of more effective and sustainable strategies for remediating organic and fluorinated contaminants in the subsurface. Dr. Veronica Stephenson | Faculty of Health Balancing a career in higher education with doctoral studies, I spent my PhD examining how leadership develops in environments shaped by limited resources and high interdependence — community sport organizations. In these spaces, volunteers and staff are constantly navigating collaboration, competition and shared purpose, yet leadership is rarely formalized. My research explored how key learning experiences can fundamentally shift the way people understand and practice leadership, drawing on ideas from sport management, adult learning and organizational development. My interest in this work is rooted in both my professional role supporting teaching and learning at Waterloo and my personal experiences as a youth athlete and volunteer. Community sport offered a unique context to explore how leadership evolves in settings driven by passion, relationships and collective effort. At Waterloo, I found the flexibility to pursue interdisciplinary questions and a community that valued collaboration as much as I do. Through this work, I hope to support the people who sustain community sport by offering insights into how leadership can grow and adapt. Looking ahead, I want to strengthen the capacity of these organizations, and the communities they serve, by helping people lead with intention, reflection and connection. Dr. Christian Therrien | Faculty of Science Stories my grandfather told me about better fishing and bigger fish “back then” sparked my curiosity about what has changed in our freshwater ecosystems and how we might fix it. During my PhD in Biology at Waterloo, I focused on native fish reintroduction programs, specifically examining why many of these efforts fail when exotic invasive species are already present. My research examined Ontario's lake trout reintroductions, identifying how invasive species affect reintroduction success and which native populations show resilience that could improve future outcomes. I was drawn to Waterloo after hearing a talk by Dr. Heidi Swanson, who later became my supervisor, that challenged long-held assumptions about lake trout biology. That sense of discovery stayed with me throughout my degree. With strong mentorship and extensive fieldwork, I spent long days on the water collecting data and starry nights in remote landscapes, connecting research questions to ecosystems I care deeply about. What began as a passion-driven project has had real-world impact. My findings have already informed changes to native fish reintroduction programs across four provincial management units. Today, I’m applying this work as a protected areas biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, helping restore and sustainably manage the ecosystems that shaped my love for the outdoors. Dr. Ruikun Zhou | Faculty of Mathematics I was drawn to Waterloo because of a fascination with robotics and a desire to build systems that could make a meaningful difference in people's lives. During my PhD in Applied Mathematics, that interest evolved into studying how we can make complex, real-world systems — like mobile robots and quadrotors — operate reliably and safely, even when their dynamics are uncertain. By combining machine learning with classical control theory, I developed data-driven methods to learn system behaviour and certify stability, helping bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. My interest in this field began during my studies in control theory — I was captivated by both its mathematical elegance and its connection to everyday technologies. As artificial intelligence rapidly advanced, I saw an opportunity to merge these approaches and tackle problems that traditional methods could not solve. Waterloo offered the ideal environment for that kind of interdisciplinary work. I hope my research helps make autonomous systems more reliable and accessible. Ultimately, I hope this work supports the development of technologies that can safely assist people and improve how we live and work. Campus Arts Engineering Environment Health Math Science Research Health Futures Societal Futures Sustainable Futures Technological Futures Share

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