Faculty of Science
Culture
Add these books to your summer reading list
Canada’s prime ministers, a tale of grief and ghosts, and the one-and-only Leonard Cohen are among the subjects of recent books that McGillians might want to dive into.
People
Bringing new worlds to life
Visual effects compositor Jordan Catracchia, BSc’11, has worked on some of Hollywood’s most popular movies in recent years, including two Oscar-winning Avatar films. When you watch one of the movies he has contributed to, he wants you to feel like you’ve been transported to another world.
On Campus
Teaching the science of climate change
Leacock 132 is buzzing on Friday nights, when hundreds of students gather to learn about climate change from Professor John Gyakum, an award-winning teacher and an expert in extreme weather.
Culture
Holiday reading options
Looking for a good book or two to enjoy over the holidays? Here are some recent books by (or about) McGill grads for you to consider.
Discovery
AI for good: Using the power of machine learning for climate action
David Rolnick is quick to point out that AI isn’t a panacea for solving the climate crisis. But the research he leads at McGill’s School of Computer Science provides a fascinating window into efforts to use AI to help mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Discovery
A Nobel laureate on the possibility of life on other planets
In his recent book Is Earth Exceptional?, Jack Szostak, BSc’72, DSc’11, the director of the University of Chicago’s Center for the Origins of Life, examines the latest research on how life started – and whether it could exist anywhere else in the universe.
Discovery
Searching for the ‘explosive stuff of the universe’
McGill astrophysicist Daryl Haggard was part of the international team of scientists who produced the first-ever image of a black hole. Now she is a key player in a $1 billion NASA competition to explore the origins of supermassive black holes.
Society
Once an Olympian, always an Olympian
The Olympics always offer a unique blend of exceptional skill, thrilling competitions, and surprises, and the 2024 Paris Games are certain to do the same. What’s life like for the athletes who take part in the world’s biggest international sporting event? We asked some McGillians with firsthand experience.
Discovery
McGill’s living laboratories
McGill professors and students have access to a unique network of field research stations. These stations, which include the Bellairs Research Institute in Barbados and the Gault Nature Reserve at Mont-Sainte-Hilaire, offer researchers the opportunity to explore the natural world up close.
On Campus
Combatting quackery
Dedicated to promoting science literacy and to pushing back against misinformation, McGill’s Office for Science and Society (OSS) regularly reaches large audiences through a variety of means (podcasts, newspaper columns, YouTube, online courses) to further its mission of “separating sense from nonsense.”
People
From McGill to the Stanley Cup and the Super Bowl
Jean-Philippe Darche and Mathieu Darche were award-winning student athletes at McGill, and both managed to transition from Canadian university sports to careers as pro athletes. Their playing days are over, but they continue to have an impact in the world of pro sports – and they have the championship rings to prove it. (Cet article est disponible en français.)
Society
Determined to give them back their names
Forensic scientist Cristina Cattaneo, BSc’87, heads up an effort in Italy to identify migrants who have perished in their attempts to reach Europe. “It’s important for the living, not just for the dignity of the dead.”