February 7, 2024

Three doctors are seeking a court order that would require Google Canada to reveal who created several anonymous accounts that are reportedly being used to send defamatory emails. Arsh Jain, Amit Garg, and Kristin Clemens–who are each affiliated with Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry–are seeking a Norwich order, which would oblige Google to disclose evidence that could be used in litigation. According to CBC, unproven allegations about Jain, Garg, and Clemens were sent by email from at least four different email accounts to multiple contacts, including individuals at McMaster University, the University of Toronto, and Schulich. In their application, Jain, Garg, and Clemens drew attention to how the emails have negatively affected their reputations, careers, and mental health.

Royal Roads University has unveiled the Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle, a program that provides guidance and mentorship to Indigenous scholars who are beginning their academic careers. The Circle currently hosts three emerging scholars who receive both one-on-one and group-based support from Circle Chair Shauneen Pete. The scholars will advance teaching and research at the intersection of their respective areas of study and Indigeneity, engage in relationship-building with Indigenous communities, and determine ways in which Royal Roads can fulfil its obligations to decolonization and reconciliation. In her role, Pete hopes to help remove barriers for the scholars, alleviate their heavy workloads, and support the advancement of their careers.

The University of Waterloo has joined the newly created Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA), an initiative that unites public and private technology leaders to address the cryptographic security challenges posed by quantum computing. UWaterloo’s decade-old Open Quantum Safe project will be housed at the PQCA, with PQCA contributing to the project. “The collaborative approach between academia, industry and government to develop new cryptographic algorithms publicly ensures that some of the world’s best scientific minds are vetting the security of this important new technology,” said UWaterloo Professor Dr Douglas Stebila.

In a recent article from Inside Higher Ed, Ashley Mowreader discusses the ways that educators have incorporated generative artificial intelligence (AI) into their classrooms. Mowreader describes how educators have asked students to edit and revise prompts for ChatGPT to hone their writing skills, used AI to prepare slides or streamline the feedback process, and prepared students for the workforce by introducing them to the tools used to build generative AI. The author advises instructors who use AI to create guidelines so that students know when and how they can use AI in their work and to teach students about the ethical concerns and the limitations of AI.

Several research and development projects led by Université du Québec à Montréal and the Université de Montréal have received support and funding to advance cancer treatment and prevention. The Québec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM), supported by a grant from the Government of Québec, recently announced its support for three innovative projects that work with biopharmaceutical companies to fight cancer, two of which are led by postsecondary institutions. UQÀM will work with Theratechnologies and Mitacs on a $7.9M project that aims to mitigate the side effects associated with chemotherapy, while a $3.45M project led by UMontréal, the McGill University Health Centre, and Saydi Biotech will investigate a new genetically targeted therapy focused on cancer eradication.

An article in Nature profiles the findings of a recent survey led by Kyle Myers (Cornell University) that evaluated how academics—hailing from about 150 different institutions in the US—approach their research. The survey touched on several aspects of the relationship between academics and their research; Nature examined the findings specific to “risk” in research. Among the findings highlighted by Nature, it was found that scientists who thought of their research as high-risk were likely to spend more time applying for grants. Personal risk-taking was also reportedly found to be highly predictive of whether researchers saw risk in their research projects. The article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of high-risk research, concluding that ultimately “science has room for all approaches to risk-taking.”

McGill University President Deep Saini and Government of Québec Premier François Legault held a “productive meeting” about the proposed 33% tuition hike for out-of-province students. “We went over everything from francization to the tuition and so on,” Saini told reporters from The Gazette. “It was a good conversation, a frank conversation, and we are hoping that it will continue.” This meeting comes in the wake of continued push-back against the province’s proposed tuition increase, including from a provincially-appointed advisory committee that recently urged QC to drop the plan, stating that it runs “counter to the principles of inclusion and equity.” Concordia University and McGill students also recently held strikes to protest the tuition hike.

The College of New Caledonia, the University of Northern British Columbia, and School District 57 have launched Technology Exploration Dual Credit (TekX), a program that gives Grade 11 students a new way to explore career paths in technology while they earn postsecondary credits. TekX will provide students with 300 hours of hands-on learning in areas of study such as computer hardware, cybersecurity, 3D printing, and drones. “Through TekX’s unique experiential learning opportunities, we are taking steps to reimagine how we educate to meet the accelerating demand for highly skilled workers in technology industries,” said UNBC President Dr Geoff Payne.

Mount Allison University has announced its plans for the renovation of the RP Bell Library Hub for Innovation and Learning. MtA will create new spaces for student and faculty support; a Universal Design for Learning Classroom; collaboration, study, and gathering spaces; and a data and digital scholarship lab. The renovated building’s design will draw on consultations with Indigenous representatives and pursue the Green Globes certification system. MtA will build an interim library to provide a space for the core collections during these renovations, after which it will be converted into a multi-purpose athletics complex. MtA has received $36M in funding for the project from the Government of Canada and the Government of New Brunswick.

The Multidisciplinary Institute for Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience (IMC2)–created by Polytechnique Montréal in collaboration with HEC Montréal and the Université de Montréal–has received a $1.3M donation from Google. This investment will be disbursed over two years to support IMC2 researchers as they pursue projects that contribute to building a cyber-resilient society. The projects financed by this grant include the establishment of an inter-university data-sharing platform to advance collaboration on cybersecurity research, an exploratory study on the alignment of cybersecurity and sustainable development, and the development of a cybersecurity entrepreneurial program.