Latest news with #UniversityOfWaterloo
CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Vaccine research, innovation group launches at UW School of Pharmacy
Researchers at the University of Waterloo are looking for ways to get vaccines to underserved areas. CTV's Spencer Turcotte has more on that initiative. Improving access to vaccines across Canada is the goal of a new research effort based out of the University of Waterloo. The School of Pharmacy launched a new research collaborative on Friday, thanks to a $300,000 investment from the biopharma company GSK Canada. 'There are many groups that are underserved in terms of vaccines,' professor Nancy Waite explained. The funding will help address that very problem. 'We know there is a huge barrier to immunization, often with individuals in underserved communities or individuals who are older,' said Michelle Horn, the country medical director at GSK. The Pharmacy Innovation and Immunization Research Collaborative (PIIRC) will not only focus on vaccine access, but delivery and education too. It is something pharmacy students say comes at a vital time. 'It's important now, with certain outbreaks of infectious disease, to support these programs,' said student Aaron Lau. 'The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago. The best time for a vaccine is now.' 'In recent years, the scope of practice for pharmacists has expanded to allow us to administer more vaccines,' said Jonathan Fang, another UW pharmacy student. The new collaborative wants to leverage that. 'We know there are pharmacies in the majority of communities, 90 to 95 per cent of individuals in Canada live within five kilometres of a pharmacy,' said Waite. Delivery, however, is only half the battle. The researchers will tackle vaccine misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, while also looking for easier ways people can track what shots they already received. While infectious diseases continue to pose a threat, the hope is their work will help the entire country be better prepared for future outbreaks.
CTV News
31-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Self-diagnosing with AI? Canadian study finds ChatGPT can get it wrong
Researchers examined the use of ChatGPT-4 to self-diagnose health problems. As Canadians increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for quick answers about health problems, a new study warns relying on tools like ChatGPT for self-diagnosis could be risky. A team, led by researchers at the University of Waterloo, evaluated the performance of ChatGPT-4, a large language model (LLM) released by OpenAI. The chatbot was asked a series of open-ended medical questions based on scenarios modified from a medical licensing exam. The findings were striking. Only 31 per cent of ChatGPT's responses were deemed entirely correct, and just 34 per cent were considered clear. Troy Zada Sirisha Rambhatla PhD student Troy Zada and Dr. Sirisha Rambhatla at the University of Waterloo are part of the research team. 'So, not that high,' said Troy Zada, a PhD student at the University of Waterloo who led the research team. 'If it is telling you that this is the right answer, even though it's wrong, that's a big problem, right?'' The researchers compared ChatGPT-4 with its earlier 3.5 version and found significant improvements, but not enough. In one example, the chatbot confidently diagnosed a patient's rash as a reaction to laundry detergent. In reality, it was caused by latex gloves — a key detail missed by the AI, which had been told the patient studied mortuary science and used gloves. The researchers concluded that LLMs are not yet reliable enough to replace medical professionals and should be used with caution when it comes to health matters. This is despite studies that have found AI chatbots can best human doctors in certain situations and pass medical exams involving multiple choice questions. Zada said he's not suggesting people stop using ChatGPT for medical information, but they must be aware of its limitations and potential for misinformation. 'It could tell you everything is fine when there's actually a serious underlying issue,' said Zada. He says it could also offer up information that would make someone needlessly worry. Millions of Canadians currently do not have a family doctor and there are concerns some may be relying on artificial intelligence to diagnose health problems, even though AI chatbots often advise users to consult an actual doctor. The researchers also noted the chatbots lack accountability, whereas a human doctor can face severe consequences for errors, such as having their licence revoked or being charged with medical malpractice. While the researchers note ChatGPT did not get any of the answers spectacularly wrong, they have some simple advice. 'When you do get a response be sure to validate that response,' said Zada. Dr. Amrit Kirpalani agrees. He's a pediatric nephrologist and assistant professor at Western University who has studied AI in medicine and has noticed more patients and their family members bringing up AI platforms such as ChatGPT. He believes doctors should initiate conversations about its use with patients because some may be hesitant to talk about it. 'Nobody wants to tell their doctor that they went on ChatGPT and it told them something different,' says Kirpalani. He'd prefer patients discuss a chatbot's response with a physician, especially since an AI can sometimes be even more persuasive than a human. 'I'm not sure I could be as convincing as an AI tool. They can explain some things in a much more simple and understandable way,' says Kirpalani. 'But the accuracy isn't always there. So it could be so convincing even when it's wrong.' He likens AI to another familiar online tool. 'I kind of use the Wikipedia analogy of, it can be a great source of information, but it shouldn't be your primary source. It can be a jumping-off point.' The researchers also acknowledge as LLMs continue to improve, they could eventually be reliably used in a medical setting. But for now, Zada has this to say: 'Don't blindly accept the results.'
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
University of Waterloo professor featured on stamp for his role in cracking Nazi code
An image of William Tutte is seen on a stamp by Great Britain's Royal Mail. (Courtesy: Royal Mail) The United Kingdom is honouring a University of Waterloo professor by featuring him on a stamp. Great Britain's Royal Mail commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe day with a new stamp series. Victory in Europe Day, also known as V.E. Day, is celebrated on May 8 and marks the end of the Second World War. Dr. William T. Tutte was selected as one of ten people who will appear on the stamps. Tutte worked at Bletchley Park, a legendary organization of code-breakers in the U.K. who cracked Nazi ciphers. Some of their work was featured in the movie 'The Imitation Game' starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Tutte's work centred on a code known as TUNNY and the Germans' Lorenz machine. According to the University of Waterloo, it was used for high level communication between Berlin and field commanders. He also developed a statistical method to help Bletchley Park decrypt Nazi messages in hours instead of weeks. After the war, Tutte eventually moved to Canada and worked at the University of Toronto. He was then invited to join a new school, the University of Waterloo. For most of his life, the public didn't know the role he played in the Second World War, as he was sworn to secrecy. The fruits of his labour remained a closely guarded secret until the late 1990s when his TUNNY work was declassified. He died in 2002 at the age of 84. The stamp will recognize Tutte's work in the fight against Hitler's Nazis, featuring him in front of a Lorenz cipher machine.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Canadian university launches 'Adulting 101' course
A renowned Canadian university has launched a bizarre 'Adulting 101' crash course for pampered students who can't perform the most basic life tasks like changing a tire, buying groceries or doing laundry. In an era dominated by digital innovation, Generation Z - or those born between 1997 and 2012 - are in desperate need of practical knowledge that older generations might otherwise consider 'common sense'. 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all,' Aldhen Garcia, a first-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), told CBC's The Current . 'I don't know how to sew,' he added. 'I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking.' The University of Waterloo, a top-ranked institution in Ontario known for its programs in math, computer science and engineering, has responded to the growing demand by launching the online course - Adulting 101. Adulting 101 is designed to teach basic life skills that Gen Z often struggles with, including cooking, budgeting, basic nutrition, laundry and even navigating a grocery store. 'You've probably already started to notice that things won't get done unless you do them,' a course description on the university's website reads . 'From managing your finances, grocery shopping, keeping your laundry whites... white, staying organized - there are a lot of important life skills you might have wished you learned sooner.' Beyond teaching basic life skills, the program emphasizes mental and physical health - encouraging students to explore their personal growth. The university also offers skill evaluations to help students identify their strengths and areas for improvement. 'What you're experiencing is normal,' director of student success Pam Charbonneau said in a message to those struggling. 'A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.' The course covers everything from maintaining healthy relationships, practicing fire safety in the kitchen and changing a tire. For many, the course has been a saving grace - not only helping them personally, but also boosting their daily confidence in navigating the ins and outs of adulthood. According to Charbonneau, many students report feeling anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences. She added that many students have also expressed a wish that they had learned these skills earlier in life. Experts have attributed the generation's lack of skills to several factors, including the decreasing independence these young adults are given during childhood. Jean Twenge (pictured), a researcher and psychology professor at San Diego State University, suggests that prolonged adolescence and 'helicopter' parenting have delayed development among Gen Z. Twenge, who studies generational differences, argued that limiting children's freedom and failing to teach them practical skills is only doing them 'a disservice', as reported by CBC. 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills,' she told the outlet. 'If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' As the author of several books, Twenge has extensively researched how a lack of foundational knowledge leaves young people more prone to making costly mistakes in everyday life. In her 2017 book titled iGen, Twenge introduced the concept of the 'slow life strategy' - an idea where people live longer, spend more time in school and parents tend to have fewer children, but raise them with greater care and intention. This approach, she explained, often leads to kids gaining independence later than previous generations. Another reason for the gap may be that students are living at home for longer periods, which often results in them taking on fewer responsibilities as parents continue to manage the household tasks. She encouraged parents to move away from the mindset that they must do everything for their children, and instead start involving them in tasks like cooking and laundry at an earlier age. However, Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people. A 2023 commentary published in the Journal of Pediatrics reviewed dozens of studies and reports, concluding that the rise in mental health issues among young people is linked to fewer opportunities for children and teens to socialize away from adults. The commentary suggested that depriving young people of independence can contribute to elevated levels of anxiety and depression.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Woke university launches 'Adulting 101' course for embarrassingly basic life skills fragile students can't handle
A renowned Canadian university has launched a bizarre 'Adulting 101' crash course for pampered students who can't perform the most basic life tasks like changing a tire, buying groceries or doing laundry. In an era dominated by digital innovation, Generation Z - or those born between 1997 and 2012 - are in desperate need of practical knowledge that older generations might otherwise consider 'common sense'. 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all,' Aldhen Garcia, a first-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), told CBC's The Current. 'I don't know how to sew,' he added. 'I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking.' The University of Waterloo, a top-ranked institution in Ontario known for its programs in math, computer science and engineering, has responded to the growing demand by launching the online course - Adulting 101. Adulting 101 is designed to teach basic life skills that Gen Z often struggles with, including cooking, budgeting, basic nutrition, laundry and even navigating a grocery store. 'You've probably already started to notice that things won't get done unless you do them,' a course description on the university's website reads. 'From managing your finances, grocery shopping, keeping your laundry whites... white, staying organized - there are a lot of important life skills you might have wished you learned sooner.' Beyond teaching basic life skills, the program emphasizes mental and physical health - encouraging students to explore their personal growth. The university also offers skill evaluations to help students identify their strengths and areas for improvement. 'What you're experiencing is normal,' director of student success Pam Charbonneau said in a message to those struggling. 'A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.' The course covers everything from maintaining healthy relationships, practicing fire safety in the kitchen and changing a tire. For many, the course has been a saving grace - not only helping them personally, but also boosting their daily confidence in navigating the ins and outs of adulthood. According to Charbonneau, many students report feeing anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences. She added that many students have also expressed a wish that they had learned these skills earlier in life. The university's director of student success, Pam Charbonneau, said that many students report feeing anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences Experts have attributed the generation's lack of skills to several factors, including the decreasing independence these young adults are given during childhood. Jean Twenge, a researcher and psychology professor at San Diego State University, suggests that prolonged adolescence and 'helicopter' parenting have delayed development among Gen Z. Twenge, who studies generational differences, argued that limiting children's freedom and failing to teach them practical skills is only doing them 'a disservice', as reported by CBC. 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills,' she told the outlet. 'If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' As the author of several books, Twenge has extensively researched how a lack of foundational knowledge leaves young people more prone to making costly mistakes in everyday life. In her 2017 book titled iGen, Twenge introduced the concept of the 'slow life strategy' - an idea where people live longer, spend more time in school and parents tend to have fewer children, but raise them with greater care and intention. This approach, she explained, often leads to kids gaining independence later than previous generations. Another reason for the gap may be that students are living at home for longer periods, which often results in them taking on fewer responsibilities as parents continue to manage the household tasks. Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the basic skill gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people in Gen Z (pictured: Twenge) She encouraged parents to move away from the mindset that they must do everything for their children, and instead start involving them in tasks like cooking and laundry at an earlier age. However, Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people. A 2023 commentary published in the Journal of Pediatrics reviewed dozens of studies and reports, concluding that the rise in mental health issues among young people is linked to fewer opportunities for children and teens to socialize away from adults. The commentary suggested that depriving young people of independence can contribute to elevated levels of anxiety, depression and suicide. 'Self-advocacy is probably the most important piece and probably where the gap is right when they come in, if they really haven't had to do much of that before,' Charbonneau said, as reported by CBC. 'You see their shoulders drop when they realize there's actually someone and something here to help me solve my problem.' Other universities have also began offering programs that address topics such as planning, finances and first aid. While Twenge supports universities offering basic life skills courses for Gen Z, she emphasizes that the real solution must start much earlier.
