Dr. Patricia Nieva

Biography

Patricia Nieva is a Professor and Deputy Chair in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo. She is an expert in micro- and nano-technologies, with a particular focus on the development of microsensors and nanosensors for integrated sensor system solutions. Her established multidisciplinary research program aims to build novel sensing methodologies that enhance vehicle safety performance and enable point-of-care health monitoring and medical diagnosis. Professor Nieva's work in chemical, biological, and photonic sensing technologies includes fiber optics, nanostructured plasmonic devices, and high-temperature MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) capacitive sensing. Her projects also involve reliability studies of microsystems and in-situ characterization of material properties in thin films, as well as the manufacturing of metallic nanoparticles for various sensing applications. She is currently involved in a project to build a handheld cardiac monitor that can measure proteins in the blood to alert a patient’s doctor of potential heart attack symptoms. Her ongoing research signifies a commitment to identifying simple, cost-effective, and reliable micro- and nano-technologies for advanced sensing applications. Professor Nieva has authored or co-authored over 90 journal and conference publications and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Research Interests

Courses