The six key research areas identified in the Faculty of Science 2016–2021 Strategic Research Plan will involve our researchers in the some of the great scientific challenges of the 21st century. Our focus on supporting basic research will necessarily reinforce interdisciplinary research, research partnerships with industry and our contribution to emerging research areas.
Fundamental and Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics and statistics are fundamental to all scientific disciplines. The Faculty of Science is home to internationally-renowned researchers in pure mathematics, and is on track to rank among the top five departments of its kind in Canada for research intensity. Our mathematics professors are involved in various interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers in other faculties. This will lead to major discoveries. In the coming years, we will direct our research towards pure mathematics, data science, financial mathematics, multiscale analysis and scientific computation.
Biomolecular Sciences and Augmented Biology
A growing number of professors are using their expertise in elucidating and manipulating chemical reactions to better understand, control and alter biological mechanisms. This growing tendency towards interdisciplinary research is seen within the Department of Physics, where a cluster of excellent biophysicists pursue research objectives at the crossroads of biology, physics and engineering, including the development of new biomaterials. This is a unique opportunity to engineer living systems, creating new research fields, biotechnologies and economic opportunities.
Advanced Materials and Photonics
Internationally renowned researchers and state-of-the-art facilities, combined with the synergy between photonics and materials research, are leading to world-class innovation in areas such as plasmonic materials and devices, and molecular magnetic and electronic materials. The symbiosis of physics, chemistry and engineering-related knowledge of photosensitive materials is bound to lead to major discoveries. Highlighted research topics include advanced imaging, light-matter interaction, and leading-edge optical materials and nanophotonics.
Environment and Resources
Many Faculty of Science research projects deal with the environmental impact of human activity, such as the environmental pollution resulting from the exploitation of natural resources. Research interests include the impact of natural resource exploitation, ecotoxicology, biodiversity and environmental change, innovations in accelerator mass spectrometry and environmental science big data.
Catalysis and Renewable Energy
Catalysis is an essential technology for the manufacture of chemical products and materials, therapeutic drugs, and fuel cells and other energy conversion systems, which have greatly contributed to enhancing human life expectancy. Catalysis research at the Faculty of Science includes the development of new catalysts and chemical reactions to fabricate medicinal compounds, CO2 capture, continuous flow chemistry and the use of biomass to produce fuel.
Quantum Information Science
Quantum information is the interdisciplinary study of the connection between information theory and the microscopic laws of nature, quantum physics. Unlike classical physics, quantum physics allows for the existence of superpositions of two (or more) quantum states. This feature can provide solutions to intractable computational tasks and enhance security of communication. Researcher are undertaking projects in fields such as quantum information, quantum cryptography and quantum communication.
