McGill News

Science & Technology

Four individuals standing side by side. 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.

A man standing outdoors in front of a modern building with glass windows and greenery. 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.

A woman smiling at the camera. Discovery

Part of Canada’s innovation solution

A recent national report raised concerns about Canada’s wobbly performance in innovation, while praising the higher education sector as a “rare bright spot.” Vice-President (Research and Innovation) Dominique Bérubé shares her thoughts on the report – and on what McGill is doing to nurture innovation.

Woman smiling Society

Encouraging scholars to step into the spotlight

One of Canada’s best-known bioethicists, Françoise Baylis, BA’83, is a familiar presence on TV screens, podcasts and news sites, sharing her insights. As the new president of the Royal Society of Canada, she hopes to persuade other academics in the country to share their own expertise more broadly.

A woman in a brown jacket with plant in the background. On Campus

Charting a course for Mac’s future

Salwa Karboune, the dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, hopes to improve the infrastructure for research at Macdonald Campus, while forging closer ties with McGill’s downtown campus. She is certain about one thing. The world has never needed the expertise of Mac’s researchers more than it does today.

A woman smiling at camera. Society

Fostering a trustworthy AI

As the CEO of Partnership on AI, Rebecca Finlay, BA’88, works with a diverse array of organizations and businesses – everyone from OpenAI to UNICEF to the BBC – to encourage the development of artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent and focused on the public good.

A tree branch with green leaves. 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.

An illustration of hands holding a planet Discovery

An ecosystem for AI collaboration

Artificial intelligence is transforming the world in ways that are both exciting and troubling. The McGill Collaborative for AI and Society wants to ensure that AI is used in a positive way – and the best way to do that is to bring together experts with different sets of skills.

An illustration of the man in a suit and tie 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.

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