Ada Hurst

Ada Hurst is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo, specializing in engineering education and design pedagogy. She serves as Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies and focuses on curricular innovation, work-integrated learning, and AI integration in engineering education. Her research explores design team dynamics, trade-off resolution, and cross-cultural competencies in design curricula. Contactable at adahurst@uwaterloo.ca, she is affiliated with groups such as Organization and Human Behaviour and Industry Collaboration Contacts.

Research interests include AI-driven design education, systems thinking in design processes, and the role of hackathons in skill development. She has published extensively on topics like peer feedback mechanisms, design team roles, and curriculum modernization. Her work emphasizes bridging academic and industry practices through experiential learning.

Her articles highlight trends in leveraging AI for protocol analysis, managing data-driven design, and analyzing trade-offs through systems approaches. Advising and grants are not explicitly detailed, but she actively contributes to undergraduate program development and industry partnerships. She is involved in initiatives like Engineering Design Days, fostering collaborative design environments.