Meet Ignacio Quiroz Vargas– Top 10 Student in the Perimeter Institute START Satellite Program at Bishop’s University

Ignacio Quiroz Vargas was named a Top-10 participant in the prestigious Perimeter Institute START Satellite (PSI) Program—an achievement that highlights both his passion for physics and his outstanding academic potential. He was thrilled to be accepted into the program, viewing it as the perfect opportunity to explore advanced physics topics ahead of his summer research.

Imagining the world through the lens of classical physics offered a purely deterministic view—one that left little room for the concept of free will. But discovering quantum mechanics changed everything. It opened the door to a deeper, more complex understanding of reality. Ignacio’s journey into physics began with a fascination for classical mechanics and its deterministic view of the universe. However, his interest deepened upon discovering quantum mechanics, which challenged traditional notions of reality and free will. This sparked a profound curiosity to understand the origins of the universe and the nature of quantum gravity.

For Ignacio, physics is not only a scientific discipline but also a framework for thinking logically and solving complex problems—skills he believes are transferable to many areas of life, including economics and politics. What excites him most about physics is its capacity to explore unanswered questions about the universe and its direct impact on technological innovation in society.

During the two-week PSI program, he looks forward to learning new ways of thinking by engaging with peers and professors from diverse backgrounds, believing that the collision of ideas would foster creativity and deeper insight. If given unlimited resources, Ignacio would dedicate his research to developing and proving a theory of quantum gravity—a true “theory of everything”—capable of testing even the most ambitious and unconventional ideas about the nature of reality.

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Joannie St-Germain M.Sc. (she/her/elle)
RESEARCH OFFICER
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES
819-822-9600 x 2242