Because Laurentian University’s Research Week is all about recognizing the institution’s amazing researchers, it’s only fitting that it conclude with an Awards Gala.
The Laurentian community was invited to vote on the the top research innovation achievements of 2018, and you can read about those winners here.
In addition to the Top 10, many other researchers were recognized for their work.
Here they are:
Research Excellence Award
This year’s Research Excellence Award went to Amadeo Parissenti, a professor with Laurentian’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. With the company RNA Diagnostics, where he is the chief scientific officer, Parissenti and his team have developed a diagnostic tool that can tell physicians how a breast cancer patient will respond to chemotherapy. The test has shown a lot of promise in research trials, and has the potential to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Voyageurs' Innovation Challenge
The Voyageurs Innovation Challenge went to a team of six researchers with Laurentian’s Bharti School of Engineering and the Vale Living with Lakes Centre. They presented their research to help remote northern communities capture carbon dioxide from diesel-powered generators, and use that captured gas to grow microalgae. Those microalgae produce beneficial compounds that include antioxidants and other health benefits.
The team consists of engineering professor John Ashley Scott, biology professor Nathan Basiliko, post-doctoral fellow Gerusa Senhorinho, and PhD students Miranda Gauthier, Merritt Kennedy and Sabrina Desjardins.
Laurentian Innovation Award
Faculty of Arts professor Joël Dickinson and graduate student Anik Dennie were recognized with the Laurentian Innovation Award for their work on safe space training at the university.
3-minute thesis Competition
As the name describes, Laurentian graduate students had to summarize their thesis to a panel of judges in three minutes. Masters of Science Communication student Chelsea Pike won the competition for her presentation on her research project, which looks at online discourse (through social media) around fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Her goal is to find out what Canadians’ attitudes are around the disorder.
3-minute Research Competition
Laurentian faculty members were also invited to summarize their research in a three-minute presentation. Biology professor Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde won the competition for his research on animals -- specifically raccoons and chipmunks -- and the health effects they face from living in urban environments. He and his team, found evidence that raccoons in urban areas have elevated blood glucose, for example.
SciArt winners
The annual SciArt show is one of the research week highlights. Laurentian faculty, staff, students and community members (including elementary school students) are invited to create art pieces that bridge science and art. Here are this year’s SciArt winners:
LU Staff/Faculty Best in Show - Gillian Schultze, “Northern Roots”
LU Student (1st) - Adam Greasley, “Model Organisms”
LU Student (2nd) - Teagan Neufield, “A Little Slice of Coronal”
LU Student (3rd) - Pritha Banerjee, “Epigenetics and Aging”
Community Artist Awards - Isabelle Ratte, “Industrial Ballerina”, Hadyn Butler, “Jocelyn Bell”, Suzanne McCrae, “BIG and Itty-Bitty”
School Awards - R.LBeattie, “Dr. Milk-Bot”, Julia Oystrick, “Dance to Titanium”, R.L Beattie, “Biodiversity Tree”, Emily Thomas, “Meltdown”, Kara Lynn Edgar, “Earth on Fire”
People’s Choice - Gene Solomon, “Water is Life”
