This past year, the world has been brought to its knees in one collective swoop. We are facing challenges that transcend geography, culture, and social status.

We have been isolated in our homes and forced to communicate with others through the blue glow of our screens. We didn’t get to feel the nervous pit in our stomachs as we walked on campus for our first year of university nor the elation as we proudly strolled across the stage to receive our hard-earned diplomas.

We’ve missed celebrating milestones and mourning the loss of loved ones. We’ve lost jobs and businesses and weren’t sure how we were going to make ends meet. Worst of all, we’ve lost mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons — sometimes without being there to hold their hands or kiss them one last time.

We’ve been told to keep our distance and stay away from one another. But we’ve come together in unimaginable ways.

We asked how we can help ensure our frontline workers are protected and safe, how we can produce enough ventilators to save those in critical care, and how communities and businesses can be resilient in the face of a pandemic.

From revolutionizing the COVID-19 testing process to producing face shields for frontline workers, University of Windsor researchers and students, community members, and local industry all had the same question — how can we help combat the spread of the virus?

Find out how they responded in the Faculty of Engineering’s latest issue of WE.

WE is distributed annually to alumni, students, faculty, staff, and industrial and community partners of the faculty. If you would like to receive WE electronically and UWindsor Engineering’s quarterly e-newsletters, join the faculty’s mailing list.

—Kristie Pearce