Developed between the Office of International Affairs and the Université Grenoble-Alpes’ Outreach Direction (UGA, DRI/DGD DIT), McMaster and Grenoble International Colloquia (MaGIC) is an initiative to connect researchers and students across Hamilton and Grenoble working on shared topics.
Through a series of virtual colloquia, MaGIC aims to:
If you have questions regarding the colloquia, please email: Amira El Masri: amira.elmasri@mcmaster.ca, or Paul Leegsma: leegsmp@mcmaster.ca.
McMaster Dr. Amira El Masri: amira.elmasri@mcmaster.ca Paul Leegsma: leegsmp@mcmaster.ca Maia Lepingwell-Tardieu: lepingam@mcmaster.ca
Université Grenoble Alpes Zoraida Martinez-Racini: zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr Eric Bonnetier: eric.bonnetier@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr Elisabeth Glangleaud: elisabeth.glangleaud@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
For questions regarding Canadian funding opportunities to support Canada-France research collaborations, please contact Christina Pellegrini of the McMaster ROADS Office: pellegrc@mcmaster.ca.
For questions regarding French funding opportunities to support Canada-France research collaborations, please contact Zoraida Martinez-Racini of Université Grenoble Alpes: zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr.
Objective Horizon Europe aims to:
Value Varies by call
Competition Frequency/Timeline Varies by call
More information https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
https://research.mcmaster.ca/funding/european-commission-horizon-europe-call-for-proposals/
McMaster Contact Miky Dumitrescu, ROADS Office: dumitrm@mcmaster.ca
UGA Contact dgdriv-proposals@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Objective Support projects that:
Value Up to $125,000 per year for up to 2 years (including 25% indirect costs)
International Collaborations Team members affiliated with international organizations may receive funds as co-principal investigator or co-applicant.
Competition Frequency/Timeline Annual competition 2024 Timeline:
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/exploration/2024/competition-concours-eng.aspx
McMaster Contact Grace Kim, ROADS: kimps@mcmaster.ca
Value $2M to $4M per year (including indirect costs) for six years
International Collaborations International team members may receive funds as co-principal investigator or co-applicant.
Competition Frequency/Timeline Every 2 years Annual competition 2024 Timeline:
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/transformation/transformation-eng.aspx
Value Joint funding calls vary
2022 Horizon Global Platform: Up to $200,000 per year for two years for direct costs, plus 25% for indirect costs, for participation in Horizon Europe projects
International Collaborations Expected to secure their own funds
Competition Frequency/Timeline Timing of next joint funding call is unknown
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/international/international-eng.aspx
Objective Support joint supervision of an undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow with international partners.
Value Funding is based on a project duration of 12 weeks, though projects durations of up to 24 weeks are acceptable. Funding amounts may vary.
Competition Frequency/Timeline Open now – call closes November 20, 2024 Annual limit on the number of co-funded applications submitted by McMaster
More information https://www.mitacs.ca/our-programs/globalink-research-award-thematic-call/
Interested participants should be in touch first with their local Mitacs advisor to assess eligibility and discuss next steps.
To apply, please contact Ryan Caldwell, Mitacs advisor for McMaster University: 647-234-4213, rcaldwell@mitacs.ca
McMaster Contact Mihaela Dumitrescu, ROADS: dumitrm@mcmaster.ca
UGA Contact Zoraida Martinez-Racini: zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Objective Support joint supervision of an undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The themes for this year’s thematic call are:
Value Approved recipients will receive funds to support intern travel and accommodation expenses, research-related expenses, and stipend.
International Collaborations Mitacs participating international partners are the following, please note they each have their own eligibility requirements:
Objective Support research and development collaborations on topics of national and global importance, including intermittent targeted calls funded jointly with other organizations.
International Collaborations International academic collaborators are expected to secure their own funding
More information https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Innovate-Innover/Joint_Calls-Appels_Collaborative_eng.asp
Objective Catalyst Grants: Allow Canadian researchers to initiate the development of international collaborations
Collaboration Grants: Provide support for Canadian researchers participating in international collaborative projects of global importance and benefit to Canada
Value Catalyst Grants: up to $25,000 for one year
Collaboration Grants: up to $100,000 per year for up to three years (cannot exceed value of funding secured by international collaborator)
Competition Frequency/Timeline Can apply at any time, with considerations:
More information https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Innovate-Innover/AllianceInternational-AllianceInternational/index_eng.asp
McMaster Contact Ross Huyskamp, MILO: huyskar@mcmaster.ca
Objective Designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential to advance health-related fundamental or applied knowledge, health research, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes. It supports research projects proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers, at any career stage, in all areas of health.
Value Dependent on the project – average grant size awarded/duration is $868,506 over 4.4 years
International Collaborations Can receive funding if they are affiliated with a post-secondary institution
Competition Frequency/Timeline Two times a year; once in March and once in September
More information https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/49051.html
McMaster Contact Beatrice Fletcher, ROADS: fletchba@mcmaster.ca Julie Croskill, HRS: croskilj@mcmaster.ca
Objective Project is expected to:
Value $7,000 to $75,000 over 1-2 years
Competition Frequency/Timeline Annual; next deadline is February 3, 2025
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/insight_development_grants-subventions_de_developpement_savoir-eng.aspx
McMaster Contact Pamela McIntyre, ROADS: mcintyp@mcmaster.ca
Objective Develop research and/or related activities in the social sciences and humanities—these can include knowledge mobilization and the meaningful involvement of students and emerging scholars—by fostering new partnerships with existing and/or potential partners; or
Design and test new partnership approaches for research and/or related activities that can result in best practices or models—these can either be adapted by others or have the potential to be scaled up to a regional, national or international level.
Value $75,000 to $200,000, over 1-3 years
Competition Frequency/Timeline Annual; next deadline is November 15, 2024
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/partnership_development_grants-subventions_partenariat_developpement-eng.aspx
Objective Provide support for new and existing formal partnerships to advance research, research training and/or knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities.
Value Stage 1: up to $20,000 Stage 2: (by invitation only) up to $2.5M Duration of 4-7 years
Competition Frequency/Timeline Once a year for Stage 1 and once a year for Stage 2 Stage 1 Deadline: likely February 10, 2025 Stage 2 Deadline: likely late October 2025
More information https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/partnership_grants_stage1-subventions_partenariat_etape1-eng.aspx
Objective Objectives are to:
Value $8,000-$15,000 for up to 2 years
International Collaborations Funds will remain at Canadian institution
Competition Frequency/Timeline Annual; next deadline is November 18, 2024
More information https://francecanadaculture.org/france-canada-research-fund/
Objective Support innovative basic research into fundamental biological problems with emphasis placed on novel and interdisciplinary approaches that involve scientific exchanges across national and disciplinary boundaries.
There are different streams including: Research Grants – Early Career & Research Grants – Program.
Value $300K-$500K USD for up to 3 years
International Collaborations No salary support (including summer salaries) can be paid from the grant for the Principal Applicant, Co-Applicant or other faculty, institutional staff such as secretaries or laboratory managers, and no student tuition fees can be paid. Funds are equally shared among team members.
Competition Frequency/Timeline Letter of Intent Deadline: likely late March Deadline for Full Proposal (if invited forward): likely mid-September 2025
More information https://www.hfsp.org/funding/hfsp-funding/research-grants
For questions regarding Canadian funding opportunities to support Canada-France mobility and international development/partnerships, please contact Adelina Sylaj of McMaster’s Office of International Affairs: sylaja@mcmaster.ca.
For questions regarding French funding opportunities to support Canada-France mobility and international development/partnerships, please contact Zoraida Martinez-Racini of Université Grenoble Alpes: zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr.
Objective To promote learning mobility of individuals and groups in the field of education and training; non-formal and informal learning mobility and active participation among young people; and promote learning mobility of sport staff at the level of sport organizations and sport policies.
Value Grant agreements are determined by sending or receiving institutions
Duration Student exchanges:
Teaching opportunities for staff:
International Collaborations EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme
More information https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities
McMaster Contact Adelina Sylaj: sylaja@mcmaster.ca
European Union Portal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
Horizon Europe
NGI
12-week research internships in Canada every year between May and October.
Calls for Summer 2025 are currently closed.
More Information https://www.mitacs.ca/our-programs/globalink-research-internship-students/
Objective Allow Canadian and French youth aged 18 to 35 to work, travel and complete an internship in the other country.
Duration 4-24 months
International Collaborations Recognized Organizations: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/international-experience-canada/recognized-organizations.html
More information Canadian Portal: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/international-experience-canada/work-travel-france.html
French Portal: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-visas/jeune-voyageur-vacances-travail
For questions regarding McMaster-specific funding opportunities to support Canada-France research and mobility, please contact the persons listed for each resource.
Objective To provide McMaster faculty with investments in first-time international research contacts or initiatives, typically originated by individual faculty members.
Value up to $5000
Competition Frequency/Timeline Annual; 2025 IIMF to be announced
More information https://global.mcmaster.ca/international-initiatives-micro-fund-iimf/
McMaster Contact IIMF@mcmaster.ca
For questions regarding UGA-specific funding opportunities to support Canada-France research and mobility, please contact Zoraida Martinez-Racini of Université Grenoble Alpes: zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr.
Objective To fund matching PhDs (thèses en miroir) involving a collaboration between an international partner in the humanities and social sciences and UGA’s Maison de la Création et de l’Innovation (MaCI) The aim of this call is to develop doctoral projects within the context of an international partnership in the humanities and social sciences.
Value A fully-funded doctoral project plus an annual stipend for travel and research-related projects.
Submission Deadline January 30, 2025
Competition Timeline March-April 2025: Selection of Candidates September 2025: Start of PhD Projects
More information Call Matching PhD GATES MaCI 2025_VF
UGA Contact humanitiesfellowships@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Annual call launched in the fall. Two funding options are proposed for projects involving one of the strategic partners of the UGA, including McMaster.
Objective To finance a Doctoral Research Grant (ADR) co-funded by UGA (50%) and the partner (50%), or postdoctoral positions co-funded by UGA and the partner, lasting between 12 and 36 months.
Deadline Fall 2024 (To be confirmed)
Objective To finance international researchers that will be hosted at UGA for a period of 1 to 3 months. Applications are to be submitted by only the UGA researcher who will welcome an international partner.
Deadline May 2025 (To be confirmed)
Objective To support scientific cooperation within strategic partnerships, including McMaster University. Some travels and meetings can be financed upon availability of funds.
UGA Contact Incoming Students: incoming@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr Outgoing Students: outgoing@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
McMaster Contact Contact your Academic Advisor
Involving Grenoble INP – Ensimag and the Master UGA “Mathématiques et Applications” (MSIAM): 6 exchanges per year in each university
UGA Contact Olivier Gaudoin: Olivier.Gaudoin@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr Eric Bonnetier: Eric.Bonnetier@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
For questions regarding the Metallurgy Colloquium, please contact Maia Lepingwell-Tardieu: lepingam@mcaster.ca.
To register for the colloquium, please click here: Materials Science: Metallurgy Colloquium
Presentation: “Student-centred Partnership between McMaster and UGA: History and Opportunities” McMaster and UGA have a long history of collaborations in research and teaching. At the centre of these collaborations is the student experience including student exchanges, research visits and internships. Some of the opportunities that are available will be reviewed and feedback from recent students will be shared.
Professor, Chair Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University Dr. Zurob obtained his PhD from McMaster University in 2003. He completed post doctoral fellowships at the Grenoble institute and Technology and Oxford University prior to joining McMaster as an Assistant Professor in 2005. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012 and Professor in 2017. Dr. Zurob is presently serving as Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The aim of Dr. Zurob’s research is to understand and control microstructure development in engineering materials with the goal of optimizing mechanical properties. The applicant has made significant contributions to the areas of thermomechanical processing, recrystallization modelling, functionally-graded materials, austenite decomposition and structure property relationships. Dr. Zurob is an active participant in professional societies including ASM, TMS and ASM Materials Camps Canada.
Presentation: “Metallurgy Research at McMaster University: Processing, Properties, and Characterization of Engineering Metals” Anchored by our Steel Research Centre, research in metallurgy within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at McMaster University emphasizes the practical applications and collaboration with industry partners. In this presentation, I will discuss our ongoing research activities in several key areas, including Metallurgical Processing, Casting, Additive Manufacturing, Product Development, and Corrosion. I will also highlight our foundational research in advanced characterization techniques and materials modeling, which underpin these areas. Additionally, I will provide an overview of our state-of-the-art facilities and will outline our grants currently “in preparation” that could prove fruitful for collaboration with UGA.
Professor and ArcelorMittal Dofasco Endowed Chair in Ferrous Metallurgy Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University André Phillion is a Professor and ArcelorMittal Dofasco Endowed Chair in Ferrous Metallurgy in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. Prior to his arrival at McMaster in 2016, he was a faculty member in the School of Engineering at The University of British Columbia. His research interests fall at the intersection of industrial-alloy solidification and advanced materials characterization, where he studies how microstructure and defects are influenced by solidification processing conditions. Current projects focus on (1) Green steelmaking/continuous casting; (2) Multi-modal 3D correlative tomography for energy materials development; and (3) Structure-Process modelling during Additive Manufacturing.
Presentation: “Overview of Metallurgy at the Materials and Processes Science and Engineering (SIMAP) laboratory at UGA” The main activities involving metallurgy research at the SIMAP laboratory will be reviewed. After introducing the global research strategy and link to societal challenges, the main specific experimental and simulation tools available will be reviewed, to provide an overview of the possibilities for mutual exchanges between UGA and McMaster. In a second part, a few examples of recent highlights will be given, covering phase transformations, additive manufacturing and mechanical behaviour.
Professor at Grenoble INP – Phelma and researcher at SIMAP, UGA Alexis Deschamps is professor at Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP – UGA) at the school of materials science, and researcher at the SIMAP laboratory. He has strong links with Canada, being a former alumni of McMaster University (M. Eng) and was a post doc at UBC in Vancouver. His research activities are in the field of physical metallurgy, mostly on Aluminium alloys and steels. He has been developing advance characterization techniques, particularly involving large scale facilities such as synchrotrons, to determine quantitatively the microstructure characteristics that control mechanical properties. This has lead to the development of high throughput techniques to map the microstructure in the alloy design space (time, temperature, composition, strain, …), and associated modelling using physically based approaches as well as machine learning.
Presentation: “Modelling of the bainitic transformation during continuous cooling in nuclear steel forgings” Low-alloy bainitic steels are widely used in nuclear industry for massive pressure vessels that require good fracture toughness. The local microstructure, on which mechanical properties depend, is established during the phase transformation that takes place during final cooling. A major challenge lies in better describing the effect of local composition (carbon and substitutional alloying elements) on the kinetics of this transformation, as the pieces often present persistent chemical heterogeneities at the meso-scale, inherited from inter-grains segregation during solidification. In this study, the transformation kinetics in continuous cooling was followed by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments. Gradient materials are prepared so as to span a wide range of compositions. The vast resulting dataset is used to train a decoder-type deep learning model able to predict kinetic curves. Precious time- and space-resolved data on the evolution of carbon content and dislocation density in austenite and carbides precipitation are also collected in addition to the mere bcc phase fraction. This critical information is used to feed a physics-based model for global continuous cooling phase transformation, that builds on theories for bainite laths nucleation and growth from the literature. It is calibrated with isothermal in-situ laser scanning confocal microscope experiments carried out in McMaster University.
PhD Student Université Grenoble Alpes Marion Bregeault is a third year PhD student in Grenoble Alpes University. She grew up in France and studied Materials Science in Paris and Lausanne. Her research concerns bainitic transformation in low-alloy steels for nuclear pressure vessels applications. She visited in McMaster for 3 months last winter to collaborate with Pr’s Zurob team and carry out experiments at CCEM.
Presentation: “Unlocking New Insights in Alloys: The Power of Correlative Microscopy” In this presentation, we will delve into how correlative microscopy deepens our understanding of phase transformations and the physical metallurgy of diverse alloys. We will examine a variety of characterization techniques, including SEM, EBSD, 3D-EBSD, APT, TEM, AES, XCT, and FIB, which enable us to reveal intricate mechanisms and phase changes. Specifically, we will focus on the crystallography and morphology of lath martensite in low-carbon 13Cr-4Ni stainless steel, using large-volume, high-resolution serial sectioning tomography that combines Xe plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) methods. We will compare the extracted 3D-EBSD data with 2D observations to highlight potential misinterpretations arising from 2D analyses. Additionally, we will discuss the correlation between 3D-EBSD and 3D-DCT, paving the way for advancements in 3D characterization techniques. Moreover, we will introduce an innovative technique for fabricating micro-tensile specimens that merges advanced technologies, including a dual-chamber FIB-SEM equipped with a femtosecond laser add-on and a PFIB. Lastly, we will showcase various applications of correlative microscopy, including investigations into liquid metal embrittlement (LME), sample preparation for atom probe tomography (APT), and the oxidation and segregation behaviors in Fe alloys.
Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University Dr. Pourbahari is a postdoctoral researcher at McMaster University, working in Professor Nabil Bassim’s group, where she specializes in the advanced characterization of diverse materials using a range of innovative techniques. She also held the position of Sessional Faculty, teaching materials science courses. In 2023, she obtained her Ph.D. in Materials Science from McMaster University, where she was awarded multiple prestigious scholarships, including the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Her Ph.D. thesis focused on determining the effects of Sb on the selective oxidation and reactive wetting of advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs). Her research contributions have significantly advanced the development of new steels, Mg, Al, and high entropy alloys, resulting in numerous published works. Dr. Pourbahari is currently serving as Co-Editor for a Special Issue in the Materials journal.
To view a recording of the Metallurgy Colloquium, please contact Maia Lepingwell-Tardieu (lepingam@mcmaster.ca).
For questions regarding the Political Science Colloquium, please contact Maia Lepingwell-Tardieu: lepingam@mcaster.ca.
To register for the colloquium, please click here: Political Science Colloquium
Presentation: “Representations of economic inequality in comparative perspective: How welfare state institutions, social norms and political discourse shape perceptions of inequality” The presentation will introduce into the ERC funded project POLINEQUAL: The Politicisation of Economic Inequality. The Impact of Welfare Regimes, Elites’ Discourse and Media Frames on Citizens’ Perceptions, Justice Evaluations and Political Behaviour, its rationale and main interim findings. In POLINEQUAL’s conceptualisation, perceptions of economic inequality – and justice evaluations that instil them – originate from social norms that are deeply rooted in the ‘moral economies’ of welfare regimes and malleable as a function of individual exposure to and receptivity of facts, ideological cues, representations and heuristics of economic inequality. In principle, the project pursues two paths: It investigates the nature of interrelationships between media representations, ideological cues and individual perceptions and evaluations of economic inequality and to what extent the latter are conditioned by collectively shared distributive justice norms. Moreover, it investigates the impact of politically salient individual perceptions and evaluations of inequality on emotions and political behaviour. The research design is based on a mixed-methods approach, organized in five work packages and combining data derived from online focus groups, discourse and content analysis of party programmes and media representations, representative online surveys and online experimental framing studies in France, Great Britain and Sweden. A selection of empirical findings will be discussed that derive from focus group discussions, party programme analyses and representative online surveys.
Professor Political Science, Sciences Po Grenoble – UGA Dr. Sonja Zmerli is Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po Grenoble – UGA. Her research interests revolve around and relate political behaviour with economic inequality and welfare state in a comparative perspective. She is the co-editor of the first Handbook of Political Psychology in German language (2015, 2022 second edition, Nomos Publishing, with Ofer Feldman) and the co-editor of the first Handbook on Political Trust (2017, Edward Elgar Publisher, with Tom van der Meer). Her work was published in Public Opinion Quarterly, European Political Science Review, Social Science Research, amongst others.
Presentation: “Affective Polarization and Institutional Confidence in Canada” Andrea Lawlor (McMaster University) Laura Stephenson (University of Western Ontario) Confidence or trust in political institutions has been in decline over the past 40 years (Norris 2011; Sniderman 2017; Warren 1999). Yet, there is considerable heterogeneity is how this phenomenon has manifested across time, countries, and individual institutions. Literature focusing on the American context has suggested that institutional confidence has been propelled downward by the existence of strong partisan inclinations (Keele 2005). As individuals become more antagonistic toward out-partisans, they may view even unaligned political institutions with greater skepticism. This consequence of affective polarization undermines traditional explanations for institutional confidence which were thought to be more durable. But is it happening everywhere? Canada has historically been identified as being somewhat resilient to this decline, though not fully immune (Citrin and Stoker 2018). As such, it provides an important testing ground to see whether the American experience of affective polarization travels – that is, whether it has permeated Canadian borders and if it is placing downward pressure on institutional confidence. We hypothesize that if the effects are universal, affective polarization will have a particularly pronounced effect on confidence in a variety of institutions, with those who identify as more polarized having less confidence because they view institutions as being related to out-partisan groups. We test our hypothesis not only on partisan institutions, such as the government in power, but also on non-partisan institutions, such as the civil service and the courts, to determine the extent to which affective polarization may be eroding the fabric of representative democracy.
Associate Professor Department of Political Science and the Public Policy (Digital Society) Program, McMaster University Dr. Andrea Lawlor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and the Public Policy (Digital Society) program at McMaster University. She specializes in the study of Canadian public policy, public opinion, as well as administrative and election law, including third party regulation in Canadian federal elections. Her work has appeared in the Canadian Journal of Political Science, Canadian Journal of Law and Society, and the Journal of Social Policy, among other venues. Dr. Lawlor holds a PhD from McGill University in Political Science and a MSL from Western University’s Faculty of Law.
For questions regarding the FORESEE Colloquium, please contact Maia Lepingwell-Tardieu: oiaproj@mcmaster.ca.
Hosted with strategic partner Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), MaGIC: FORESEE aims to connect researchers studying “the lived consequences of climate change from an arts and humanities perspective.”
As a seven-year and 9-million-euro funded research program hosted at UGA, FORESEE is based on the observation that climate change challenges the ways we live together, breeds dissonance and dissent, threatens our social fabric, and questions our social contract. The project aims, in turn, to build and share a nuanced understanding of how people experience and live with the consequences of climate change, and how we can work to collectively rebuild.
During this two-hour MaGIC session, UGA will deliver a general presentation of the FORESEE-funded research program, showcase a selection of FORESEE projects, and offer flash presentations from partner universities (including McMaster) to highlight related work and research.
The event aims to identify researchers and topics that could lead to scientific cooperation in the areas covered by the FORESEE project, and identify researchers who would be interested in participating in the November 2026 FORESEE international seminar.
All McMaster faculty, postdoctoral students, and PhD students are welcome to attend.
To register for the colloquium, please click here: FORESEE Colloquium
Presentation:“Cross-Sector Partnering in Regions with Weak Climate Change Impacts”The current impacts of climate change in many parts of the world are subtle and less visible than in more exposed regions. The impacts show up in more extreme heat and cold days, occasional excessive precipitation, and other disruptions to daily life. But underneath these inconveniences are patterns of change. They increase the cost of housing through heating and cooling, flooded insurance, and therefore put pressure on society to adapt. But the pressure is slow and subtle. Building more liveable cities that are adapted to these pressures demands coordination between the private sector developers of our built environment and government and social purpose sectors encouraging more greenspaces, city forest, sustainable building, and affordable housing. Complex problems can rarely be solved in isolation. But cross sector partnering is difficult owing to differences in priorities and pacing across partners. This proposed work will study how to strengthen and sustain local cross-sector partnerships in such a context.
Associate Professor, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster Dr. Brent McKnight is an Associate Professor, Strategic Management, and Director, Integrated Business and Humanities, in McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business. He studies how firms and organizations address complex societal problems. Currently this interest has led to him to undertake research in the areas of responsible investing at the retail advisory, the role of firms in community resilience and adaptation to climate change induced natural disasters, and how non-profits and firms can improve integration outcomes for refugee newcomers. He is also studying non-profit and main-street retailer responses to COVID. Throughout his work, Dr. McKnight is driven by a fascination both with how firms bounce back from substantial adversity and in the increasingly important role that firms play in building community-level resilience across a range of shocks and disturbances. In Dr. McKnight’s research, resilience plays an important role in conceptualizing a firm’s pursuit of sustainability; resilience taps into the essence of what it is to be sustainable over long timelines.
Presentation: “The Ecological Remediation Work of Artists in Public Sites” My PhD research project Wind & Fire investigates how, and what, artists create in Canadian National Parks residencies in response to climate change. This research emerges from a grounding in trans theories (Halberstam 2005, Hill 2020, Vaccaro 2015), queer ecologies (Barad 2011, Chen 2012, Springgay 2022), and decolonial feminist ecological thought (Davis 2015, Tallbear 2015, Todd 2019, Yusoff 2018). I examine how trans studies concepts – such as dispersal, disruption, movement, and escape – can inform understandings of disaster ecologies and creative interventions in ecological narratives. This research shapes a complex and robust understanding of the crucial interventions into ecological disaster that artists make. Artists working in National Parks must navigate government narratives around place, identity, and climate while simultaneously finding methods to intervene into these settler colonial and nationalist neoliberal narratives. In this presentation I will give a brief overview of the context and approach of my research, in particular the focus on National Park sites during a rise of nationalism in settler Canada, artists’ roles within it, and how creative practice makes crucial interventions of climate change – not just as interpretation, but as a form of remediation itself.
PhD Student, English and Cultural Studies, McMaster Jay Pahre is a queer and trans settler artist, writer, and cultural worker. His work engages trans and queer ecologies, interspecies collaboration, and place in the context of settler colonialism. He completed his MFA in Visual Art at the University of British Columbia in 2020, and is currently pursuing a PhD at McMaster University. His current research considers the ecological work of artists in public sites. He has attended residencies at the Western Front, Banff Centre, Isle Royale National Park, and Empire of Dirt. His work has been exhibited across the US and Canada at traditional galleries and community spaces, and his writing has been published in academic journals and comic anthologies.