Social media – The shiny new tool for science

Social media has revolutionized the way we consume information, and science is no exception. With just a few clicks, we can access the latest scientific breakthroughs, research findings, and discussions from experts in the field. According to a 2021 survey by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), 69% of Canadians are active on social media...

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When Life Gives You Lemons: An Interview with Alumnus Dr. Derek Clouthier

Dr. Derek Clouthier is currently working at AstraZeneca as a Global Medical Affairs Lead in Oncology. After completing his PhD in 2015 under the supervision of Dr. Tania Watts, Derek pursued various unexpected opportunities that led him to successful positions in major pharmaceutical companies. In this interview, we had the privilege to discuss with Derek...

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The Slow Decay of our Reliance in Science

Your friends, your family, your co-workers. Your next-door neighbour of 10 years, a random passerby on the street. Throughout the pandemic we’ve lived with the reality that anyone could spread COVID to us, even if they aren’t showing symptoms. To protect ourselves from infection, we’ve also needed to rely on the expertise of strangers in...

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Make it make cents: the inadequacies of research funding in Canada  

“In 2005 about 31% of CIHR applicants were awarded grants, yet by 2018 less than 15 of applicants received funding.” Regardless of what Copernicus says, our world revolves around money; so, it’s not surprising that money is the biggest roadblock of modern-day scientific discoveries. The majority of funding for research in Canada comes directly from...

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A book review of Awakenings by Oliver Sacks, 1990 Edition

“These things are so bizarre that I cannot bear to contemplate them.” – Poincaré Sacks takes us back to the early days of defining neurological disease when sleeping sickness (Encephalitis lethargica) abruptly washed over the world shortly after the first world war and influenza pandemic wrapped the globe around their staunch fingers. Ending a decade...

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Government – The Road Less Traveled: Why Some PhD Graduates Choose Public Sector Careers

In recent years, PhD graduates have seen a shift in employment opportunities, with a growing number of non-traditional roles available beyond teaching and research. The specialized knowledge and expertise gained through rigorous research training make PhD professionals highly valuable to government agencies, non-profits, and private companies. In Canada, “law and social, community, and government services”...

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Volume 11 Issue 1, 2023 – Cover

When one imagines a scientist, we typically turn to an image of someone in a white lab coat surrounded by an array of test tubes. Popularized by children’s cartoons of scientists and overused stock footage of a scientist in the lab, public perception of a scientist is often an oversimplified representation and clouded by success...

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When scientific terminology becomes jargon

Scientists are used to communicating with their lab, classmates, and more broadly with a scientific audience. But have you ever tried to explain your project, or any specific scientific concept to friends and relatives from a non-scientific background? If yes, you will probably have noticed that some concepts that seem easy to understand for you...

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Letter from the Editors

Picture [left to right]: Philip Barbulescu (Co-Editor-in-Chief), Karen Yeung (Co-Editor-in-Chief), Kitty Liu (Design Director) With this issue of IMMpress Magazine, we shine the spotlight on how modern media and scientific communication has shaped the public perception of science. It is impossible to discuss any aspect of modern society without acknowledging the role that science and...

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