News

“Today's announcement by Canada’s minister of science, Kirsty Duncan, reaffirms the federal government's commitment to research, innovation and training, three essential pillars of a modern economy,” said Mona Nemer, VP research at the University of Ottawa. “On behalf of all of our researchers, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support of the cutting-edge research you make possible with these grants.” Read the complete article.

AAAS and Subaru are proud to announce the finalists for the 2017 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books. The Prizes celebrate outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults and are meant to encourage the writing and publishing of high-quality science books for all ages. The 2017 winners will be selected from among the following finalists in four categories.

The Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Section New Investigator Award recognizes an outstanding investigator in the early stages of his/her career. Candidates should be investigators who have made meritorious contributions to the scientific areas represented by the Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Section. Congratulations!

University of Ottawa researchers studying everything from smart textile fabrication to new ways to prevent stroke and Alzheimer’s have received a $1.6 million boost from the Government of Canada for the cutting-edge tools they need to keep Canada at the forefront of innovation. The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, minister of science, announced the funding, which will be directed through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund. Read the complete article.

New research from scientists at the University of Ottawa, five partner universities and the Government of the Northwest Territories shows that climate change is causing extensive lake expansion and landscape flooding in the southern Northwest Territories, affecting the core habitat of the Mackenzie wood bison herd. Wood bison are listed as “threatened” under Canada’s Species At Risk Act and the Mackenzie herd plays a key role in efforts to conserve and increase wood bison populations in the Northwest Territories. Read the complete article.

Research Grants (Program Grants and Young Investigators) provide 3 years of support for international teams involving at least two countries. All team members are expected to broaden the character of their research compared to their ongoing research programs and interact with teams bringing expertise that is very different from their own so as to create novel approaches to problems in fundamental biology. All members of a Young Investigator team must be within 5 years of establishing their independent research group and no more than 10 years from their doctoral degree. Read the press release.

The title of Distinguished University Professor is conferred on faculty members in recognition of exceptional scholarly achievement, pre-eminence in a field of knowledge and a solid teaching record. Congratulations!

The Frank Rigler Award is the highest honour given by the Society of Canadian Limnologists. It was first presented in 1984 to recognize and honor major achievements in the field of limnology by Canadians or those working in Canada. Emphasis in selection is given to established aquatic scientists with a proven record of contribution to the field of aquatic sciences, whose work is widely recognized for its influence and importance. The winner of this award will give an overview on their research during the plenary session of the annual meeting of SCL/CCFFR, and will receive complimentary registration at the meeting and a one-year membership with the Society.

The University of Ottawa established the annual Excellence in Education Prizes to recognize educators of exceptional quality, driven by their passion to advance and share knowledge. These leaders in university education are outstanding in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field and have been recognized by students and peers alike.

Julie Bilodeau, MSc student supervised by Jules Blais and Vance Trudeau, has received the honours for her work on “Toxicokinetics and bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic compounds in wood frog tadpoles (Lithobates sylvaticus) exposed to Athabasca oil sands sediment”.

The Dr. Richard Playle Awards were established by the Aquatic Toxicity Workshop (ATW), the precursor to CEW, in memory of Dr. Richard Colin Playle, a Professor of Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University from 1992 to 2005, who was an enthusiastic supporter of ATW and whose original insight spawned what was essentially a new area of research in aquatic toxicology: Biotic Ligand Modeling.

The Ontario Government will support 8 research projects at the University of Ottawa including:

• Tuan Bui: Harnessing a cellular target for the recovery of motor function following spinal cord injury
• Jessica Forrest: Understanding pollinators to maintain resilience in Ontario agroecosystems

Established in 2017, the CEW Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Ecotoxicology recognizes individuals who have made a significant and measurable contribution to the field of ecotoxicological science in Canada.

Newly published results from a study on food security and quality in First Nations communities in the Atlantic provinces show that food insecurity is rampant and that many households would like more access to traditional foods. The study found that 31% of First Nations households in the Atlantic provinces are severely or moderately food insecure, compared to the national average of 8%. Read the complete article.

A team of researchers at the University of Ottawa, working with Health Canada, the University of Toronto and the Institut national de santé publique du Québec, examined chemical exposure experienced by Ottawa Fire Service firefighters during on-shift, emergency fire operations between January 2015 and April 2016. Read the complete article.

The record-breaking rainfall and chillier-than-usual weather this past spring and summer dampened the success of the nuisance mosquito program’s second year. Read the complete article.