The presence of numerous dignitaries from the worlds of higher education, research, the private sector and various levels of government, including the Honourable Michelle O’Bonsawin, Supreme Court of Canada justice and honorary president, testified to strong support for research in the Francophonie. Justice O’Bonsawin aptly summed up the sense of community generated by the conference: “I love the Francophonie.”
In the weeks leading up to the event, Martine Lagacé, conference co-chair and uOttawa associate vice-president, research promotion and development, said that the scholarly gathering was happening at just the right time for stakeholders to tackle the challenges that research in French is facing. At the closing reception, she delivered a passionate plea for research in French at the University of Ottawa: “This conference, which explored ‘knowledge mobilization in French,’ will, I hope, be the springboard to even closer and lasting collaboration with ACFAS. Our entire University community has clearly shown that the University of Ottawa can and must play a major role in the production and dissemination of research in French.”
“This conference, which explored ‘knowledge mobilization in French,’ will, I hope, be the springboard to even closer and lasting collaboration with ACFAS.”
Martine Lagacé
— Associate vice-president, research promotion and development
Accessible and topical research
The weekend set the tone for the week that would begin with two highly interactive public activities. More than 100 people took part in the musical and wellness activities featuring music, a concert, a participative choir and more. The following day, the tulips at Major’s Hill Park were upstaged by a group of passionate scholars who captivated the Sunday visitors with descriptions of their research. The Science-moi! activities included a range of formats to give the public a unique window on research in French.
The conference shed light on the state of research in French, including the future of universities, assessment of research excellence, scholarly publications in French, science diplomacy, and Francophone women in research.
The symposiums generated fascinating discussions. This large-scale multidisciplinary gathering was an opportunity for attendees to dive deep into various facets of artificial intelligence, nutrition, the issues facing Francophone minority communities, health, gender issues, educational innovations, migratory dynamics, and environmental issues in Indigenous education, among other things.
Celebrating research and innovation
The ACFAS conference was also an opportunity to celebrate some exceptional contributions: five up-and-coming researchers and 12 accomplished researchers were awarded prizes in 2024.
Lucie Hotte, a leading figure in the Francophonie at the University of Ottawa, received the first-ever Award for Research Excellence in Francophonie from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation for her vital role in the promotion and study of Francophone minority cultures in Canada. “When I was a child, my parents instilled their love of our language in me, along with the desire to protect it,” she said.
This multidisciplinary conference extended beyond the realm of academia
The 91st annual ACFAS conference, through its many special events, also fostered exceptional networking opportunities by bringing researchers from a variety of backgrounds together around a range of topics. Science diplomacy, the status of Francophone women in research, and a celebration of the Canadian Francophonie alternately gave a unique flavour to the ACFAS conference, the first to be held outside Quebec in more than a decade.
