By Dick Bourgeois-Doyle My son Jonathon lives amidst the heavy oil fields of Alberta. When I proudly shared the news that I would attend the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's 2017 Annual General Meeting in Montréal, a gathering focused on climate change, its causes, and its threat to the planet, my son was less than enthusiastic. The goal of the event was to determine the best path forward for the next generation that includes my son and…

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By: Claire Tugault-Lafleur, MA, RD and Jennifer Black, PhD, RD Evidence suggests that the majority of Canadian children do not meet national dietary recommendations for vegetables, fruit, or dairy products, and their overall diet quality is poor. Schools can be an important place to foster healthy eating habits since children consume one or more meals at school on weekdays. However, no nationally representative studies have examined what children eat at school or whether foods consumed…

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By: Joelle Thorpe, Ph.D., Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellow The views expressed herein are those of Dr. Thorpe and are not necessarily shared by any organizations with which she is affiliated. This past Earth Day (April 22), thousands of scientists and science supporters gathered in over 600 cities around the world to stand up for the use of science in policymaking. Inspired by the Women’s March in January, and spurred on by perceived threats to…

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By: Natalie Sopinka Peatlands are unique wetland terrains made up of an accumulation of decaying plants; they also cover over 1 million km2 of Canada. Don’t be fooled by these swaths of decomposing vegetation, peatlands provide essential ecological services such as capturing carbon dioxide and also contribute to increasing regional biodiversity. In addition to finding an array of bird species in peatlands, you can also find an abundance of orchids, including rare and endangered species. Peatlands…

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By Sarah Boon, Ph.D. Are you thinking of starting a science blog? Then this book is for you. There are even some excellent tidbits for those of you who already write a blog and want to shake things up a bit. The book starts with a chapter by Carl Zimmer on the history of science blogging, providing much-needed context for what is now considered a fairly mainstream activity. Zimmer discusses how blogging evolved from traditional…

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By Dick Bourgeois-Doyle When I went to see Dr. Thomas M. “Tim” Dauphinee at his Toronto home in June of 2016, I wanted to talk about his scientific achievements, his contributions to the field of oceanography, and his impact on research around the world. But he wanted to talk about more recent inventions and the future. He was planning for the celebration of his 100th birthday the following month. He had two new patent applications at…

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The 2017 Canadian Science Publishing image contest is here! A great image can capture a moment, communicate a message, and stir emotion; it can also help us to share the various aspects of our scientific work and communicate scientific phenomena. Images are becoming increasingly important as a way to share and communicate our science with a boarder audience. Participating in the Visualizing Science contest is a great way to promote your research and have the chance…

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By: Natalie Sopinka It’s official, cacti are trendy. Cacti have flooded Etsy and Instagram. There are cactus-themed linens, wallpaper, shower curtains, and wedding invitations. There are cactus-shaped lamps, cellphone cases, balloons, confetti, and drink coasters. But perhaps the scientist in you yearns to know a bit more about the biological and ecological wonders of this charming plant?   Meet the Cactaceae Family Described as one of the most “easily recognizable, and morphologically distinct families of plants”,…

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Ever wonder where your manuscript goes after you hit "Submit"? At Botany it arrives in the inbox of Editor-in-Chief Dr. Christian Lacroix. Next, it is assigned to one of the journal’s 35 Associate Editors who secure reviewers and guide your manuscript through the peer-review system. This "Behind the Scenes" series will share the stories and research of this fantastic editorial team. Today we get to know Drs. Gunawardena, Thorn, Shamoun, and Sanita' di Toppi. Dr.…

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This post is part of an ongoing series by Jenny Kliever about women in physics who have inspired others and contributed to the field in unique and impressive ways. The Canadian Journal of Physics will be publishing a special issue on Women in Physics later in 2017. Keep up to date on all CJP activities by signing up for the CJP newsletter. A logical thinker and always ready for a challenge, Victoria Kaspi chose to…

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