/qls/channels_item/3 en /qls/node/19241 <p>Four years ago, Astrid Parrot moved from Senegal to Montreal to study, leaving her home and family for the first time to begin her B.Sc. Honours Chemistry degree at 91˿����Ƶ. Without a clear picture of what her future would look like, she took what she describes as “a leap of faith."</p> <p>She immersed herself into university life, living in residence her first year and meeting new people. She had found her place at 91˿����Ƶ, but uncertainty lingered throughout her degree as she quietly wondered whether chemistry was truly the right path for her.</p> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:34:32 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19184 <p><em>From left: Prof. Yi Huang (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Prof. Laura Nilson (Department of Biology), Prof. Brigitte Pientka (School of Computer Science), Prof. Galen Halverson (Department of Earth and Planetary Science).</em></p> <p>The Faculty of Science is pleased to announce the appointment of four department chairs, who began their terms on June 1. </p> <p>The three new chairs are Prof. Yi Huang (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Prof. Laura Nilson (Department of Biology), and Prof. Brigitte Pientka (School of Computer Science).   </p> Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:20:45 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19180 <p>Congratulations to Adrian Liu (Physics), who received the 2026 Carrie M. Derick Award for Graduate Teaching and Supervision!</p> <p>The <a href="/gps/about/awards/carrie-derick">Carrie M. Derick Award for Graduate Supervision and Teaching</a>, awarded by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, acknowledges outstanding contributions to promoting graduate student excellence through supervision and teaching by a faculty member who has been supervising for 10 years or less.</p> Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:34:49 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19179 <p>Congratulations to Jasmin Chahal (Microbiology and Immunology) for winning the 2026 Leo Yaffe Award for Excellence in Teaching!</p> <p>Presented annually, the <a href="/science/staff/teaching-prizes">Leo Yaffe Award for Excellence in Teaching</a> celebrates a faculty member for superior teaching at the undergraduate level within the Faculty of Science.</p> <p>Read below the announcement of the award from the Spring 2026<a href="/graduation/files/graduation/7._spring_2026_science_a.pdf"> Science A convocation program</a>:</p> Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:42:31 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19177 <p>Congratulations to Dr. Bridget Andersen, who has received the 2026 Yablonovitch Research Prize.</p> <p>The prize, established in 2022 by Eli Yablonovitch, BSc 1967, DSc 2018, and Karen Yablonovitch, is awarded annually by the Faculty of Science at convocation to a graduate student enrolled in the Faculty of Science who has achieved the best research accomplishment in experimental physics.</p> Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:20:04 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19164 <p><em><strong><span><span><span><span>Professors Mette Bendixen, Rachel Langevin and Kai Wang <span>recognized<span> for <span>research excellence and impact.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></em></p> Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:59:07 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19153 <p>People who have a weaker sense of self are also more likely to have less bodily awareness, 91˿����Ƶ researchers have found. The study supports the idea that people’s perceptions of themselves and how they experience their own bodies are deeply connected.</p> <p>Beyond deepening psychologists’ understanding of “embodied cognition,” the connection between our minds and our fundamental bodily awareness, the findings could have concrete applications regarding the treatment of certain psychiatric conditions, the researchers said.</p> Thu, 28 May 2026 15:29:58 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19150 <div> <p><strong><em>National honour from the Canadian Association of Physics (CAP) recognizes 91˿����Ƶ physicist’s excellence in teaching, mentorship, and inclusive leadership.</em></strong><br /> <br /></p></div> Wed, 27 May 2026 16:05:25 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19144 <p>Ann Jack (Clerical), Diti Anastasopoulos (Management), and Maxime Leroux (Technical) have been named recipients of the Faculty of Science Excellence Awards.  </p> <p>These awards, announced at the Faculty of Science Council meeting on May 20th, recognize the outstanding contributions made by members of the Faculty’s administrative and support staff during the 2025-2026 academic year.  </p> <p>Read below the citations prepared by the Faculty of Science Excellence Awards Committee. </p> Tue, 26 May 2026 13:41:53 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19230 <p>Pressed plant specimens collected centuries ago and stored in herbaria around the world could play a key role in facilitating the tracking of genetic change and extinction risk in plants, a 91˿����Ƶ-led <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biag048/8670227">study</a> indicates.</p> Thu, 21 May 2026 14:10:22 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19117 <p>On Saturday, May 2, families gathered at the Otto Maass Chemistry Building for an exciting day of discovery as the 91˿����Ƶ Chemistry Outreach Group held its annual 24 Hours of Science event, which welcomed 220 guests. </p> Fri, 15 May 2026 14:07:06 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19115 <p><strong>At event honouring 116 winners of major awards, keynote speaker and SSHRC Gold Medal recipient Myriam Denov emphasized the importance of listening. </strong><br /> <br /> 91˿����Ƶ celebrated more than 100 researchers at the 21^st edition of Bravo, a gala event May 7 honouring the winners of major provincial, national and international research prizes and awards in 2025.</p> Thu, 14 May 2026 16:18:30 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19108 <p><strong>The 2026 cohort of Distinguished James 91˿����Ƶ Professors, James 91˿����Ƶ Professors and William Dawson Scholars embody ‘the very best of our academic community’.</strong></p> <p>Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Angela Campbell has named 31 91˿����Ƶ professors as Distinguished James 91˿����Ƶ Professors, James 91˿����Ƶ Professors or William Dawson Scholars. The internal awards recognize exceptional research achievements.</p> Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:18 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19109 <p><strong>From fundamental physics to child well-being, 91˿����Ƶ researchers advance discovery across disciplines </strong><br /> <br /> 91˿����Ƶ has been awarded $18.1 million in federal funding to support 16 Canada Research Chairs – six new and 10 renewed.</p> Wed, 13 May 2026 17:51:34 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19110 <p><em><strong>Federal fund will support transformative high risk, high reward research across engineering, science, and medicine at 91˿����Ƶ.</strong></em></p> Wed, 13 May 2026 17:34:01 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19107 <p><i>Clockwise from top left: Parisa Ariya (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Bruce Arndtsen (Chemistry), Nikolaos Provatas (Physics), Hanadi Sleiman (Chemistry), Irene Gregory-Eaves (Biology), and Fiona Soper (Biology)</i></p> <p>This year, six professors from the Faculty of Science have been recognized among the recipients of the 2026 cohort of Distinguished James 91˿����Ƶ Professors, James 91˿����Ƶ Professors and William Dawson Scholars.</p> Wed, 13 May 2026 17:02:16 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19106 <h2>From fundamental physics to child well-being, 91˿����Ƶ researchers advance discovery across disciplines </h2> <p>91˿����Ƶ has been awarded $18.1 million in federal funding to support 16 Canada Research Chairs – six new and 10 renewed.</p> <p>The University’s newly appointed CRCs will drive forward cutting-edge research in fields that include subatomic physics, food science and agricultural chemistry, and counselling psychology. Renewed Chairs will continue vital work in such areas as Parkinson’s disease, bioengineering, data ethics and intergenerational childhood trauma.</p> Wed, 13 May 2026 16:56:31 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19102 <p><a href="/geography/mallik-mahmud">Mallik Mahmud</a>, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, is one of nine early-career ocean researchers across Canada awarded the<a href="https://meopar.ca/2026-early-career-researcher-award-recipients/"> 2026 Early Career Researcher Award</a> by the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), recognizing exceptional early-career ocean researchers whose work advances climate resilience.</p> Tue, 12 May 2026 13:43:40 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19050 <p>Researchers at 91˿����Ƶ have developed a novel device that generates sound-like particles known as phonons at extremely cold temperatures. The technology could be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications in communications and medical diagnostics.</p> Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:52:16 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19044 <p><em>Dear members of the 91˿����Ƶ community,</em></p> <p><em>I am delighted to announce that Prof. Alanna Watt will be 91˿����Ƶ’s next Dean of the Faculty of Science. The 91˿����Ƶ Board of Governors approved her appointment at its meeting on April 23, 2026, and her five-year renewable term will begin on May 1.</em></p> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:48:45 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19036 <p>Some of Dr. Jeffrey Mogil’s most influential discoveries could be considered serendipity. He may not have set out to revolutionize the field, but what he ended up finding has made a lasting impact in the world of pain research.</p> <p>Dr. Mogil is a pain researcher and professor at 91˿����Ƶ, and his CIHR-supported work uncovered two big blind spots: the research had focused almost entirely on male pain and mostly measured one type of pain—and not the type that makes the biggest difference for patients.</p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:34:18 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19029 <p>Researchers studying 450-million-year-old fossils discovered about 50 kilometres northeast of Quebec City have identified a new species of basal medusozoan: <em>Paleocanna tentaculum</em>, a soft-bodied, tube-shaped polyp with a ring of tentacles. Closely related to modern jellyfish, it is a rare discovery. Only a few other species in its subphylum have ever been described in the fossil record.</p> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:37:27 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/19014 <p>The 2026 winners of the Fessenden Professorship and Tomlinson Science Awards have been named.</p> <p>Established in 2007 and named after Canadian electrical engineer Reginald Aubrey Fessenden, the<a href="/science/research/rgo/fessenden"> Fessenden Professorship in Science and Innovation Award</a> supports researchers in exploring early-stage concepts, developing intellectual property, and moving innovations toward commercialization.</p> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:45:09 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18989 <p>Taking inspiration from how mussels and mistletoe plants build natural fibres and adhesives, researchers at 91˿����Ƶ have developed a new way to manufacture complex materials that could offer a more environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional plastics and glues.</p> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:58:15 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18975 <p>Congratulations to Professor <strong>Henri Darmon,</strong> Distinguished James 91˿����Ƶ Professor at 91˿����Ƶ and CRM member, on receiving the <strong>2026 Jeffery‑Williams Prize </strong>from the Canadian Mathematical Society. Darmon is an internationally recognized leader in number theory, known for his groundbreaking work on elliptic curves, L‑functions, and automorphic forms, including the introduction of Stark‑Heegner points and real quadratic analogues of singular moduli.</p> Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:30:54 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18970 <h2>More than 200 undergraduate students presented their work at the 7th edition of the annual Faculty of Science event</h2> <p>From labs to field sites, 91˿����Ƶ students brought their discoveries to life at the 7^th annual Undergraduate Science Showcase, held on March 25. The event offers students an encouraging, non-competitive space where they can proudly share their research, passion projects, and in-class work, all while strengthening their confidence and science communication skills.</p> Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:44:02 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18965 <p>A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops’ absorption of “contaminants of emerging concern” (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed.</p> <p>CECs include pharmaceuticals, microplastics, engineered nanomaterials and PFAS (commonly known as “forever chemicals”). The researchers warn that even when present at very low concentrations, these chemicals can subtly alter plant physiology, disrupt soil health and pose wider environmental and human health risks.</p> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:16:17 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18929 <p>We are delighted to announce that <strong>Marcin Sabok</strong> has been awarded the <strong>Ryll-Nardzewski Prize</strong>.</p> <p>The prize was established to honour the great Polish mathematician Czesław Ryll-Nardzewski, and is awarded by the Ryll-Nardzewski Center at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. The prize is for <i>outstanding achievements in mathematics</i> in areas related to the work of Ryll-Nardzewski.</p> <p>🔗 <a href="https://crn.pwr.edu.pl/en/aktualnosci/ryll-nardzewski-prizes-have-been-awarded-10.html" rel="noopener">Read the official announcement</a></p> Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:17:15 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18925 <p>A 91˿����Ƶ-led study has found that humans share acoustic preferences with other species, at least when it comes to animal calls. The results provide experimental evidence that shared sensory processing mechanisms may shape aesthetic judgments of sound.</p> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:18:52 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18883 <p>Researchers at 91˿����Ƶ used 2,000-year-old stone jars in Laos to observe long-term ecological processes, enhancing understanding of how strongly tree cover shapes small freshwater ecosystems. Their findings stand to help scientists predict how freshwater habitats will respond to environmental change, the researchers said.</p> Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:07:15 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18837 <p>A new 91˿����Ƶ study has found a direct link between age‑related declines in neuron activity in the cerebellum and worsening motor skills, including gait, balance and agility. While it is well known that these abilities diminish with age, this is the first research to pinpoint how changes in Purkinje cells – a key type of cerebellar neuron – drive this decline and translate into measurable changes in behaviour and physical function.</p> Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:46:40 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18828 <div> <div> <p><span><span>Professors Siva Reddy (Computer Science and Linguistics) and Katelin Schutz (Physics) have been named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows. <span> </span></span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>They are among the 126 early-career researchers in this year’s cohort of the prestigious two-year, $75,000 fellowship sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Fellows are nominated by their colleagues and evaluated based on their research accomplishments, creativity and potential to become leaders in their fields.<span> </span></span></span></p></div></div> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:27:55 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18812 <p>Researchers at 91˿����Ƶ and the <a href="https://research.fs.usda.gov/nrs">United States Forest Service</a> have found that plants living in areas where human activity has caused population crashes carry long-lasting genetic traces of that history, such as reduced genetic diversity. Because genetic diversity helps species adapt to climate change, disease and other stresses, the study suggests it is vital to consider a population’s history-influenced genetics alongside its size and habitat in conservation planning.</p> Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:32:55 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18809 <p>A new <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/102800">study</a> co-authored by 91˿����Ƶ researchers suggests people can be taught to reject unfair advantages.</p> <p>“We often benefit personally from an unequal distribution of resources, a phenomenon known as advantageous inequity – for example, receiving a higher salary than a colleague with the identical role,” said senior author Ross Otto, a psychology professor. “Here we ask whether people can learn to punish advantageous inequity merely by observing the inequity-averse preferences of another person.”</p> Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:32:11 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18758 <div> <div> <p><span><span>Congratulations to Dr. Bridget Andersen<span>, who has received the Dr. Allie Vibert Douglas Astrophysics PhD Thesis Prize!<span> </span></span></span></span></p></div></div> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:25:05 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18736 <p>The Faculty of Science is pleased to share two awards available for students participating in a <a href="/science/undergraduate/internships-field/field">Field Study Semester (FSS)</a> in the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 academic year.</p> Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:40:35 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18716 <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div><em>91˿����Ƶ team aims to develop guidelines, tools, and policy insights that help software engineers work safely and effectively with AI-assisted coding systems.</em><br />  </div> </div> </div> <p>A 91˿����Ƶ research team is tackling one of AI’s fastest-moving challenges: how software developers can steer and safeguard code as AI systems become capable of writing large portions of software on their own. </p></div></div></div></div></div> Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:02:25 +0000 91˿����Ƶ /qls/node/18714 <p>Freshwater browning is stunting fish growth of some species, shrinking populations of others and changing the composition of fish communities, 91˿����Ƶ-led research suggests. “Browning” refers to freshwater bodies turning tea-coloured, a phenomenon driven by higher levels of dissolved organic matter and/or higher levels of iron in the water. Causes include changes in land use and climate, and reduced acid precipitation.</p> <p>The findings indicate that changes in land use and climate are affecting biodiversity and how ecosystems function, with implications for fisheries management.</p> Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:30:53 +0000 91˿����Ƶ