Numerical simulation is a cornerstone of modern science and industry, and is used in many facets of our everyday lives. While many of us are familiar with short-term weather forecasting, substantially more computational effort is dedicated to longer-term simulations of the Earth’s ocean and atmosphere, for climate and other reasons. In such simulations, certain properties […]

Free ranging and wild animals sometimes experience challenges of physical wellbeing and optimal movement ability, but assessing if they are stressed in these situations can prove difficult. My research will be focusing on a population of Japanese macaques on Awaji Island, Japan that are born with very high incidences of limb malformations that cause physical […]

Preliminary data suggest a possible involvement of the melatonin MT1 but not MT2 receptor in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. The main objective of this short project is therefore to investigate at preclinical level whether the first selective MT1 receptor partial agonist to be synthesized (UCM871) can improve the bipolar symptomatology of the mice genetically […]

Choices allow us to navigate through physical space, to literally or figuratively problem-solve, to achieve goals. While this behavioural phenomenon is common across time and space for our human species, many other species make movement choices as well. The objective of my research is to assess how individual and social factors influence route choice decisions […]

Primary care plays a vital role in the health care system. Challenges in accessing primary care is a growing area of concern globally, with demonstrated negative patient and health system outcomes. Patient and physician preferences for both location and daytime/afterhours access differ. Determining the location of primary care practices that meet the needs of both […]

According to evolutionary biology, adaptation of a population to a new environment results from an equilibrium between various trends. Adaptation is shaped by selection forces, such as fecundity, mortality and competition for resources, by migration, and by the generation of diversity at reproduction. The type of reproduction, whether it is mainly clonal (asexual) or it […]

The arctic is warming at an accelerated rate, and this current speed of change is largely driven by industry. These changes to the oceanic conditions in the arctic are causing perturbations throughout the water column, causing disruptions throughout the food-web. These warming patterns are not consistent across the arctic; species persisting in these regions are […]

In the Arctic, environmental variability is currently increasing. Variability in sea ice dynamics, such as the timing of ice-off and concentration of sea ice, these in turn affect distributions and abundance of fish and invertebrate species. Thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia), an Arctic-breeding seabird, are expected to be greatly affected by changes in sea ice dynamics, […]

In nature, a complex network of cellulose and hemicellulose interacts to provide plant cell walls with their mechanical strength, flexibility, and light weight. However, there is still little known about the relationship between the cellulose-hemicellulose interactions and how that influences the resulting mechanical properties of plants. In this work, we will use films thinner than […]

The human population is increasing, as is the number of individuals living within cities. This is increasing the demand for infrastructure, which cities are now attempting to meet through densification instead of urban sprawl. However, densification is threatening the quality and extent of urban greenspace. One atypical form of greenspace, urban cemeteries, may be better […]

A decrease in ice cover in the Arctic ocean is allowing for increases in vessel traffic and noise in this previously undisturbed environment. The remoteness and reduction of species richness poses a challenge when trying to monitor Arctic ocean wildlife, but recent technological advances in animal tagging have supplied further opportunities for surveillance of Arctic […]

In January 2018 the Australian Department of Home Affairs introduced several changes to the visiting rules for immigration detention centeres on Australia’s mainland. These changes significantly restricted access to refugees detained in such facilities. Throughout 2018 Dr. Nethery from Deakin University in Australia conducted a series of interviews with visitors to such immigration detention centres […]