Olivier Domingue, Geneviève Levasseur & Marylene Boulet: Multi-Institutional Micro-nursery Project with PRESE. Olivier Domingue, biology professor at Cegep de Sherbrooke, obtained funding with Geneviève Levasseur and Marylene Boulet, Biology and Biochemistry department, at Bishop’s University through PRESE for an educational micro-nursery tree project. The goal is the conservation of the indigenous-declining trees in the Eastern Townships region by seeding, growing, and planting the trees. The project not only serves to create collaboration between two Sherbrooke institutions but also offers an opportunity for inter-linguistic exchanges. The tree project started last March in a biology class taught by Olivier at Cegep de Sherbrooke. The cegep students were able to sow more than 200 seeds and took care of the little seedlings. The native tree species the students selected are American chestnut, shagbark hickory, black walnut and hackberry. Bishop’s students from the Organic Gardening class will be taking on the relay: transplanting trees in larger pots, with their cegep peers. With PRESE funding, the team will be able to build the micro-nursery, that will be located in the future community garden, to house the trees until they are strong enough to be planted on both campuses and in the Sherbrooke/Lennoxville community. To have more details on PRESE, you can contact Sophie Vincent at Sophie.Vincent@USherbrooke.ca or you can visit the PRESE website.

Professor Bruno Courtemanche Ph.D.: Spring Class: ESG 288 Underwater Environmental Assessment. This course examines human impact on the underwater environment, including limnology, and the monitoring and restoration of ecosystems affected by invasive species. It introduces students to the different tasks performed by a scientific diver: sample collection, environmental monitoring, and aquatic inventory and restoration operations. Specific scientific diving training, including PADI Open Water certification, can lead to Diver-in-Training certification from the Canadian Association for Underwater Sciences (CAUS). This class is also open to everyone, not only students. To have more details on this course, you can contact Bruno Courtemanche at bcourtem@ubishops.ca.

Dr. Vicki Chartrand: Justice Exchange is a collective of academics, students, and volunteers who seek to advance collaborative and community justices. They approach justice as a collective concern with the aim of cultivating, as well as connecting people and communities together. The Centre for Justice Exchange offers an internship program through the Department of Sociology at Bishop’s University. The course integrates students’ research skills and interests with the activities of the center to provide students with a practical insight and experience working in the field of justice. Students must have taken at least one Criminology-related course to qualify for the Internship. For more information, visit the Justice Exchange website.

Conventional agriculture dominates current practices, comprising over 90% of total crop production. But the pesticide mixtures used in agriculture can end up in watersheds and eventually reach natural systems in multiple pulses in the environment. The effects of these chemicals have consequences for the wider community by increasing nitrates levels and having a toxic effect. One of the consequences is the destruction of basal food sources like biofilm which can lead to a trophic cascade or the accumulation of pollutants. While individual chemicals’ effects on aquatic life have been studied, little research has focused on quantifying the combined effects of commonly used pesticide mixes (used for crops) on freshwater ecosystems. To address this scientific gap, Jared D. Sparr’s M.Sc. objectives are to investigate the health of the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) and biofilm in relation to three different concentrations of pesticide mixtures by using 12 outdoor mesocosm bins containing snails and an environment that mimics natural bioaccumulation from contaminated water and food sources.

Jared will analyze the snails’ shell growth, activity/response time, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stress as indicators of chemical effects. Additionally, he will measure the snails’ fecundity through a standardized reproduction test. The experiments will be conducted during summer 2023, and the data will be analyzed in the fall of 2023 and winter of 2024. With the finalized data analysis, he will write a scientific publication in 2024.

The snail project works in collaboration with the Institute national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) who have extensive experience working with freshwater and biofilm. The outdoor experiment at Bishop’s contributes to bridging laboratory results with the natural environment by analyzing toxicology and larger trophic dynamics in an exposed setting. Both biofilm and gastropod groups serve as the basis of food webs for freshwater systems, making them essential to the long-term health of the ecosystem. Their environmental significance makes these organisms foundational to research surrounding biotoxic effects. Learning how to properly assess total toxin effects can aid future survey efforts to understand the dynamics of human impacts within the natural world. This branch of research will empower communities by providing ways to assess water health through the organisms and provides stakeholders with tangible data on the consequences of pesticides.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242

Environmental Science B.Sc. Honours student Donovan Faraoni has been awarded a national scholarship from CAUS, the Canadian Association for Underwater Science. His project involves investigating the impact of invasive aquatic plant colonies on fish habitat in the Eastern Township’s freshwater lakes. Donovan will be conducting scientific diving to collect data, employing technologies such as continuous-transmission profiling buoys and acoustic doppler current profiling. This research contributes to ongoing projects, led by Dr. Elisabeth Levac and Professor Bruno Courtemanche, on building geo-spatial models to monitor the changes in the distribution of Eurasian watermilfoil, a non-native species that has invaded lakes across Canada.

Receiving this award holds significant meaning for Donovan. The CAUS Scholarship “aims to support excellence in early-career researchers while advancing a culture of safe scientific diving practices,” both important aspects of Donovan’s fieldwork. It allows him to further develop his skills in water safety, building on his previous work as a Student Shoremaster at Pearson College UWC in British Columbia. In addition, the scholarship offers Donovan a nation-wide platform for sharing how scientific diving can be a flexible tool in studying environmental policy challenges involving freshwater ecosystems.

Donovan benefits from the practical research experience, fieldwork opportunities, and networking between various departments that Bishop’s University (BU) provides. For instance, Donovan took the ESG 288 Underwater Environmental Assessment course, which paved the way for his scientific diving journey. In collaboration with Professor Bruno Courtemanche, Olivia Fasan and Amber Hewett from the UBERG group, Donovan has also worked on designing and 3D-printing custom circuit boards for remote sensing devices used on water quality profiling buoys, which he is currently deploying in local lakes. This kind of in-depth BU experiential learning has led him to his current USRA summer job, with NSERC funding.

The interdisciplinary nature of Donovan’s studies — combining Environmental Science, International Political Economy, and Biodiversity & Ecology — is preparing him for a future career in environmental policymaking involving multiple fields and complex projects, while interacting with exceptional professors and engaging with students and community members further enriches Donovan’s learning experience at BU.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242

The passion for brewing was sparked during the time Neil reached the legal drinking age, in the early 2010s and the rise of the craft beer industry in Ontario and Quebec. Attending exposition and events that showcased the region’s craft beers allowed him to engage with brewers and develop a keen interest in the field. He came to Bishop’s University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and successfully completed it in June 2022.

During his time at Bishop’s, Neil had the opportunity to get involved with the Bishop’s Arches Brewery, where he learned about the brewing process as an active participant on days the beer was being brewed. In his third year, Neil decided to enroll in the Graduate Certificate in Brewing Science, and even began taking courses within the program. However, when he discovered the chance to pursue an Individualized master’s degree in Brewing Science with Dr. Alexandre Drouin and Dr. Dale Wood, he eagerly seized the opportunity.

This unique program allows him to build upon from previous experiences in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry, combining it with the knowledge gained during his B.Sc. degree, and apply it to the fascinating world of craft brewing and distilling. Neil firmly believes that this opportunity will provide him with invaluable experience in chemical and instrumental methods of analysis, all while pursuing his passion for craft brewing.

For the M.Sc. project, Neil is investigating the impact of adding a significant amount of oxygen to the wort before introducing Active Dry Yeast which is the industry standard for brewing yeast. Active Dry Yeast is designed to contain all the necessary oxygen-containing compounds for immediate fermentation upon addition to the wort, making the addition of oxygen unnecessary for optimal fermentation. The industry asserts that a beer produced from an oxygenated wort should taste no different from one produced from a non-oxygenated wort. Therefore, for his research thesis, he wants to determine if this claim holds true and, if not, how does oxygen affect the fermentation process with Active Dry Yeast.

To conduct this study, he is brewing identical wort batches and fermenting them in the presence and absence of added oxygen. Through qualitative analysis using a tasting panel and quantitative analysis utilizing instrumental methods such as High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS), significant differences were found in flavor and aroma between the oxygenated and unoxygenated beers. These preliminary findings not only challenge the manufacturer’s position but may also challenge accepted theories on yeast metabolism, which is incredibly exciting.

Acquiring proficiency through analytical instrumentation has also led to another project involvement focusing on the formation of ethyl carbamate (EC), a probable carcinogen, in fermented beverages. As part of a larger research effort involving multiple researchers, Neil will be analyzing samples for EC and precursor molecules using the same instruments utilized during his original project, while also developing new methods for EC analysis.

Neil’s journey in the field of brewing science has been both intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling, and he looks forward to further exploration and contribution to this dynamic industry.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242

His inspiration to pursue physics was sparked by a variety of sources. The first glimpse into the world of science came during his childhood visits to museums and planetariums, where he was captivated by the mysteries of the universe. Another catalyst was his deep appreciation for applied mathematics, recognizing its crucial role in the study of physics. However, it was his initial physics class at Bishop’s University, taught by Professor Nelson, that truly ignited his passion and set him on his educational journey. George specially chose Bishop’s for its smaller class size, which fostered close interactions with professors. These one-on-one engagements significantly contributed to his academic growth, allowing ample time for discussions and critical thinking. Beyond the confines of the classroom, Bishop’s offered numerous undergraduate research opportunities, particularly in the field of physics. This invaluable experience allows George to conduct research during his undergraduate studies and gain practical knowledge in his scientific domain. Professors Nelson, who had become George’s undergraduate advisor, played an integral role in nurturing his enthusiasm. Physics, for George, has always been a whirlwind of relentless questioning and an unwavering quest for answers, fueling the scientist within him.

George Dufresne has received acceptance into the esteemed PhD program in Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College, a moment that fills him with immense excitement and gratitude for this remarkable opportunity. Dartmouth’s status as an Ivy League institution, its unwavering commitment to academic excellence, and its provision of world-class research prospects make it an ideal destination for pursuing a doctoral degree. Among the key reasons George chose Dartmouth College, the exceptional faculty stands out prominently, as he holds a keen interest in collaborating with many of them and benefiting from their expertise. Additionally, Dartmouth’s intimate learning environment and smaller size closely align with the academic experience he valued during his time at Bishop’s University, making it an appealing continuation of his educational journey. Looking ahead, George envisions two potential career paths following the completion of his PhD. The first involves academia, where he aspires to become a professor, imparting knowledge to and inspiring the next generation of physicists or astrophysicists. Alternatively, a career as a research scientist, working in laboratories or even prestigious organizations like NASA, where he can contribute to groundbreaking scientific endeavors.

Big summer news before leaving for his new adventure:

This summer, George has an incredible opportunity ahead as he prepares to embark on an internship at NASA. He stumbled upon this opportunity and decided to apply on a whim. Following a successful interview, he was thrilled to receive an offer for the summer internship. His prior research experience with Dr. Nelson played a pivotal role in securing this prestigious opportunity, demonstrating the value of his academic background. Throughout the internship, George will be involved in a project that investigates the turbulent dynamics of the sun and stars. Employing a data-assimilation approach with 3D radiative Magnetohydrodynamic models, the project aims to unravel the intricate workings of these celestial bodies. Additionally, George will have the privilege of utilizing NASA Ames’ state-of-the-art supercomputing system and as part of his responsibilities, he will also contribute to the development of codes for data processing and analysis, allowing him to refine his skills in these crucial areas of scientific exploration.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242

According to Dr. Chartrand: there is a tremendous and dangerous gap between the perceptions and optics of what the public knows about prisons and other carceral institutions and what is really going on inside those walls.

Dr. Vicki Chartrand is part of the Prison Transparency Project (PTP) research team that has received 2.5M from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada’s (SSHRC) Partnership Grant. The PTP is a collaboration between researchers from Argentina, Spain, and Canada to analyze and advance for greater transparency and accountability in prisons, and other carceral systems like migrant detention centres, the world over. The project will partner with prison watchdogs lawyers, organizations, family members, and people in prison to research the layers and levels of access to information and incarcerated persons to identify major issues people in prison and carceral institutions are facing, including major human rights abuses.

According to Dr. Chartrand “there is a tremendous and dangerous gap between the perceptions and optics of what the public knows about prisons and other carceral institutions and what is really going on inside those walls. This research project is an important opportunity to compare carceral practices across the globe and throw into question the utility of a 17th century invention that operates to disappear people.”

Central to the PTP research project are the partners who will provide invaluable insight into the depths and veneers of carceral transparency. One of the partners on the project is the Centre for Justice Exchange, a research centre at Bishop’s University founded and directed by Dr. Chartrand. At the centre academics, student interns, and volunteers seek to advance collaborative, creative and community-based approaches to justice. The current criminal justice system currently operates with a model that tends to individualize conflicts, social problems, separate people which in returns, removes the essential support and resources people need. Justice Exchange believes that justice should help improve people’s life circumstances, build communities, and provide opportunities for people to learn, grow, and create.

The objectives of the Justice Exchange Research Center are to envision a justice through four keys:

1. Collaborative and community engaged research and dissemination with a focus on community justices along with the dismantling of segregated and punitive frameworks
2. Building collections of resources through the sharing of information and community support
3. Public education and awareness on collaborative and community justices through public campaigns and projects
4. Advance pedagogical praxis and experiential learning

As partners, the Justice Exchange will be informing the PTP research team on their experiences, initiatives, and challenges in gaining access to and supporting people who are in the prison system, and the constraints and concerns for Indigenous people. As Sheri Pranteau, Oji-Cree, formerly incarcerated and president of the centre reminds us, “Indigenous people are incarcerated at rates higher than any group of people across the lands known as Canada. The government should be more concerned with honoring the land and treaties and investing in the communities with clean water, access to housing, and programs, rather than spending millions of dollars to lock us away.”

As a new research center, Justice Exchange is prioritizes a community-engaged scholarship and  collaborative methodologies that build on community resources while learning from communities through their expertise and wisdom. For the PTP project, this means learning from the prison community to address the many harms and human rights violations that persist in carceral environments.

For more information about the PTP project or the Centre for Justice Exchange, you can contact Dr. Vicki Chartrand at vicki.chartrand@ubishops.ca or visit justiceexchange.ca. For students interested in the project or the work at the Centre, Justice Exchange, offers a 3-credit course based internship program through the Department of Sociology at Bishop’s University (SOC333). The course integrates students’ research skills and interests with the activities of the centre to provide students with a practical insight and experience working in the field of justice. Students must have taken at least one Criminology related course to qualify for the Internship. Visit https://justiceexchange.ca/about/internships/ for more info.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242

“Making a difference by changing the way we are teaching the next generation”

Dr. Suzanne Hood is currently on the second year of a five years’ project which includes various collaborators including Dr. Kerry Hull about changing the education system in community colleges in the US. The research focuses on one particular class: Anatomy and Physiology, a pre-requisite course for students wishing to purse nursing or other allied health professions. Available data suggests that failure among students currently rests at 50%, leading researchers to reflect on the cause(s) of such an alarming rate. An example of a group less likely to succeed would be first generation students as they will tend to identify as more anxious and be more doubtful of their likelihood to succeed. With her strong background in psychology, Dr. Hood brings in a significant expertise to analyze what practices are better, what group of individuals are doing better and getting feedback from the professors to make distinctions between different learning types and memories in humans. The research will hopefully identify and help students better understand the subject and content of the course all while more appropriately storing the information delivered to them. As part of this research, Dr. Hood and her team collect data from the community college instructors as well as the students on the impact(s) of using evidence-based teaching activities. The goal is to better equip, through coaching, instructors on how to use evidence-based teaching methods such as peer-to-peer teaching in their Anatomy and Physiology classes; decreasing their reliance on traditional approaches such as simple lecturing. The study is not only going to help the educators and helping Suzanne realize her own teaching methods and how she can improve so student can succeed in her class.

In addition to this significant collaboration to evidence-based teaching methods, Dr. Hood currently oversees a group of undergraduate students making a detailed review of the literature available on sleep disturbance in individuals of 65 years old and above. Research has shown that more than 30-50% of people within this age range have troubles sleeping, while providing very little explanation. Sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle, and sleep disturbance has been known to cause cognitive challenges as well as affecting our physical health. This comes to no surprise considering how mind and body are interconnected. Students that are part of her research group are currently exploring what available research evidence exist regarding the various treatments available including prescribed drug therapy, alternative medicine (acupuncture, cannabis, etc.), cognitive therapy, and more, with a focus on what has been published and what may be missing in the literature. Dr. Hood’s assessment of the students’ exercise will allow her to guide sleep researchers in new studies that may help fill in holes in our current knowledge of the overall matter: sleep disturbance among the elderly. The biggest question is what is currently working and helping the older generation. The review will help to show how much scientific evidence exists for various treatments, and sleep researchers could use this information to guide new studies that would fill in gaps in current knowledge.

“The undergraduate students at Bishops are doing amazing work and at the same time, they’re acquiring experience”

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies

“We need to optimize metabolic pathways in plants to ensure sustainable production of food and other plant products in the future”

Dr. Sarathi Weraduwage joined Bishop’s University in 2022 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry. She is already well-known for her previous work at Michigan State University as a postdoctoral researcher and research assistant professor where she studied isoprene, a volatile hemiterpene made by some plants, as well as the relationship between photosynthesis and plant growth specifically in the model plant Arabidopsis. Her work on isoprene helped redefine its role as a signaling molecule. Dr. Weraduwage has published many papers, and supervised and mentored many students.

Dr. Weraduwage hopes to establish a highly collaborative, top-notch research program in Plant Biochemistry and Physiology at Bishops University. As a Plant Scientist, the overarching goal of her research program at Bishop’s University is to discover biochemical and physiological strategies to enhance growth, productivity and resilience to stress in plants under future climate conditions. “I have always been fascinated by the immense diversity of growth habits in plants, the shear complexity of their metabolic (biochemical) pathways and their adaptability to varying micro- and macro-environments. Plants are so important to sustain life on earth. They nourish the entire world, provide the oxygen we need to breathe, recycle nutrients, and produce chemicals important for pharmaceutical and other industries”. Dr. Weraduwage explains that the negative effects of climate change on plant growth will pose a significant threat to meeting the demand for food and other resources posed by the ever-increasing global population. Her lab will address these challenges by targeting and optimizing important metabolic pathways in plants to improve stress tolerance, growth and yield under future environmental conditions.

Recently, Dr. Weraduwage was awarded an FRQNT Research Support for New Academics Grant to study novel roles of isoprene. She has also been awarded a Bishop’s University Research and Creative Activity Grant to carry out a collaborative research project on improving crop productivity under heat stress. To facilitate biotechnological research and the use of genetically engineered plants, Dr. Weraduwage is also working towards establishing a Plant Biosafety level 2 research laboratory and hopes to develop a well-equipped Plant Research Facility in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry in the future.

A key focus of Dr. Weraduwage’s research program is to provide undergraduates with meaningful and high-quality research opportunities so that they can apply their acquired knowledge in research and achieve their academic and career objectives. Second year Bishop’s University student, Janick Boily, will be the first summer student in Dr. Weraduwage’s lab. Janick has received an American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) to conduct a 10-week research project in Plant Biology. The ASPB-SURF will also provide one-year free membership in the ASPB and funding for the student to present their findings at the 2024 ASPB Plant Biology conference in Honolulu, Hawaii.

If you’re interested in learning more about plants and their biochemistry, and how to use biotechnologies to improve plant growth and productivity and their uses in industry, you can take some of Dr. Weraduwage’s classes: Introduction Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO196), Plant Physiology (BIO 345), Plant Bioinformatics – Principles and Practical Approaches (BCH342), Plant Biotechnology for Crop Improvement (BCH460) and Plant Biochemistry for Human Health and Nutrition (BCH317). If you are interested in carrying out undergraduate or graduate research in Plant Science, email Dr. Weraduwage: sweraduw@ubishops.ca.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Ticky-Tick, it is the month of coming out for ticks! From April to November, these little arthropods will come for you. From adventurous people to dog walkers, ticks will judge no one for their next meal.

In North America, there are dozens of species of ticks most of which are rarely encountered by humans. The species inhabiting areas frequented the most by humans are the blacklegged tick, the Western blacklegged tick, the American dog tick, the lone star tick, and the brown dog tick. Many tick species carry pathogens but not all of them can carry pathogens that can cause disease in humans and domestic animals. But how can you determine which ones do?

What is eTick?
eTick is an identification tool developed at Bishops University by Dr. Jade Savage, professor in the department of biology& biochemistry. eTick can rapidly identify the ticks you encounter and provide information on the health risks they pose. Once identified, your contribution will immediately appear on our interactive map. By using this specific tick identification tool, not only will you get a personalized service for the tick you submit but you will also be contributing to public health surveillance and investigation of ticks in your area.

Where can we download eTick?
By downloading the free eTick app for iOS and Android, become part of the surveillance team! You can also click here to go directly on the website.

Who works for eTick?
While the platform is housed at Bishop’s University under the management of Dr. Savage, the eTick team includes collaborators at five other Universities, each one overseeing the activities of a regional team of tick identifiers. Dr Savage and Jérémie Bouffard (eTick project coordinator) coordinate eTick activities (including training for all regional teams) and supervise all QC personnel. In any given year, over 10 students and research professionals are employed as eTick regional identifiers in Canada. For the QC team, eTick prioritizes BU students whenever possible.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
RESEARCH OFFICE SUPPORT
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES

“What could satiate your curiosity more than discovering the most fundamental rules by which our universe is bound to follow?”

Jaeden has always been curious and interested in math, but his interest in physics did not flourish fully until he came to Bishop’s University. Through his classes, extra-curricular research, and interactions with the physics & astronomy community at Bishop’s, he realized that (Astro)physics is the subject for him.

The close-knit community and excellent research opportunities at Bishop’s played a significant role in his acceptance into graduate school. Due to the small department size, it is quite common to interact with the professors and graduate students which allowed him to see first-hand what graduate school was like, along with discussing physics outside of the regular curriculum with the great minds working at Bishop’s.

If he could give one piece of advice to aspiring graduate students (particularly in physics & astronomy), it would be to get into research as early as possible and find a good faculty member to mentor them through it. Small liberal arts universities, such as Bishop’s University, are best for this as they give more research and mentorship opportunities. Jaeden had the good fortune of doing research directed by Dr. John Ruan, whom he considers to be a great mentor and to whom he owes a lot for his success thus far.

Student Jaeden Bardati is deeply grateful to have been accepted into a fully-funded California Institute of Technology PhD Physics program along with a few other graduate programs including the PSI master’s program at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He is eagerly looking forward to immersing himself in physics and embarking on this next chapter of his life with enthusiasm and determination. He chose Caltech largely because of its strength in gravitational wave research and theoretical astrophysics in general.

Big news before leaving for his new adventure:

Jaeden and Dr. John Ruan are currently in the process of submitting a scientific paper for publication, in collaboration with Dr. Haggard (McGill University) and Dr. Tremmel (Yale University) in which he is the first author. Their research will help astronomers locate black hole mergers after obtaining a gravitational wave signal from future low-frequency detectors such as the space-based ESA mission: Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
RESEARCH OFFICE SUPPORT
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES