The Global Young Academy is an international organization based in Germany that brings together exceptional young researchers from around the world. It empowers them to develop their leadership skills so they can address research-related interdisciplinary public policy issues and increase the impact of research on international development.
“Nafissa Ismail and Sophie Thériault’s appointment to this prestigious international gathering of early-career scientists is a testament to their exceptional research achievements,” said Vice-President, Research Sylvain Charbonneau. “They will be remarkable ambassadors of the University of Ottawa’s excellence in research among their peers.”
Through her ground-breaking research, Nafissa Ismail, who holds the University Research Chair in Stress and Mental Health, has greatly advanced our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of stress-induced mental illness like anxiety and depression in teenagers, and of the role of probiotics in preventing these pathologies.
Sophie Thériault’s research focuses on the rights and environmental governance of Indigenous peoples in the context of pressing environmental issues, such as climate change and natural resource extraction. She also exposes how environmental laws can exacerbate injustices affecting these communities.
During their five-year term at the GYA, both researchers will contribute to the activities of the global organization by participating in international science policy development and by supporting science education and knowledge mobilization at the international level.
With the appointments of professors Ismail and Thériault, 12 researchers from the University of Ottawa have been elected to the GYA since its creation in 2010.