RSS Feed - Science

UWindsor entrepreneurs join inaugural Innovation Fellowship cohort

Thu, 07/09/2026 - 11:20
By Sara Elliott

Ten University of Windsor researchers are turning their work into ventures as members of the inaugural Innovation Fellowship cohort. 

The fellows aim to bring research-based business ideas to market, from a cybersecurity training program to a low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. 

How three UWindsor students cracked open vehicle communication safety at an international hackathon

Mon, 06/22/2026 - 14:43

By Sara Elliott 

A future where vehicles communicate directly with one another is not so distant — but is the technology safe enough to deploy?  

That question was at the centre of the inaugural OmniAir Hackathon held at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where three University of Windsor graduate students earned first place for their research. 

Breakthrough magnetism research earns UWindsor physicist national honour

Mon, 06/22/2026 - 13:15

By Sara Elliott

His mother may not fully grasp what he does for a living, but theoretical condensed matter physicist Dr. Jeffrey G. Rau (BSc ‘08) is in global demand for his expertise in quantum magnetism.

The University of Windsor researcher does not run experiments in a lab. Instead, he builds mathematical and computational models to understand and predict how magnetic materials behave at the atomic level.

What happens when bacteria outsmart antibiotics? A UWindsor researcher is building the answer

Thu, 06/18/2026 - 09:47

By Sara Elliott 

Drug-resistant infections are silently spreading through water, soil, food systems and healthcare settings — often undetected until they become a public health emergency. 

At the University of Windsor, environmental microbiologist Dr. Opeyemi Lawal is developing new ways to spot these threats early, understand why they persist, and stop them before they spread.  

Science Olympiad comes full circle for UWindsor student leader

Mon, 06/15/2026 - 15:28

By Sara Elliott 

One Science Olympiad volunteer in particular takes personal pride in the success of the annual event at the University of Windsor.  

Honours biochemistry and biomedical sciences undergraduate Vivian Peng is not only the student leader for Science Olympiad, but she was also a participant herself. 

Listening to the night sky: UWindsor team deploys Canada-wide acoustic bird migration network

Mon, 06/08/2026 - 11:15

By Sara Elliott 

Every night during spring migration, millions of birds cross Canada in darkness, calling out to one another to stay together. 

Until now, no one was listening. 

From the Great Lakes to the open ocean, two UWindsor PhD students are studying how noise and tourism affect fish

Mon, 06/08/2026 - 10:31

By Sara Elliott

When they were children, Rachel Koop and Riley Beach unknowingly shared the same dream: becoming marine biologists.

Growing up by the Great Lakes, it seemed unlikely.

What makes a lake turn toxic? UWindsor is part of a global team trying to find out

Tue, 06/02/2026 - 15:30

By Sara Elliott 

University of Windsor researchers have partnered with global experts to write a five-year action plan aimed at understanding the risk of highly toxic blue-green algae blooms.  

The five-year research plan outlines priorities to address the threats these blooms pose to freshwater resources worldwide, including the Great Lakes.  

Can stream sounds predict ecosystem health? University of Windsor grad’s thesis research asks the question

Mon, 06/01/2026 - 11:23

By Sara Elliott 

From leading a group of art-loving scientists, to helping organize summer symphony performances for the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra, Avery Ng builds community in every role she takes on.  

This commitment helped the fourth-year behaviour, cognition and neuroscience student earn a science medal. At spring convocation, she will sport a Leadership, Engagement, Application and Discovery (LEAD) gold medallion.

Faculty of Science honours 17 at annual Spring and Shout awards

Mon, 05/25/2026 - 13:30

By Sara Elliott 

Faculty, staff and students were recognized for their excellence in service, teaching and research at the Faculty of Science Spring and Shout event. 

While 17 award recipients were celebrated across the faculty, three honourees — master’s student Sarika Sharma (BSc ’24), staff member Jayne Pierce and instructor Olena Syrotkina — showcase some of the stories behind this year’s awards. 

Young physicists gain early research experience through internal scholarships

Fri, 05/22/2026 - 14:31

By Sara Elliott 

Two University of Windsor physics undergraduates are gaining early research experience thanks to scholarships funded by professor emeriti. 

Distinguished University Professor Emeritus William Baylis and his wife, Bobbye Baylis, launched the Baylis Physics Research Internship in 2021. It offers an annual opportunity for a student to engage in advanced research with a faculty mentor. 

As Great Lakes lose ice, a UWindsor researcher makes the consequences visible — and wins an international prize for it

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 08:50

By Sara Elliott 

As climate change strips ice from the Great Lakes, something less visible is also changing: the underwater world of light that microscopic life depends on.  

When ice recedes, wind and water stir sediment, clouding the water and blocking the sunlight that drives photosynthesis at the base of the food web. What looks like a simple seasonal shift is, in scientific terms, a restructuring of habitat. 

Students, staff and alumni gear up for home-track return of Windsor Roller Derby

Tue, 05/05/2026 - 13:58

By Kate Hargreaves

For the first time since 2019, residents of Windsor-Essex will have a chance to see Windsor Roller Derby (WRD) play locally. 

Founded in 2010 as Border City Brawlers, the league has been playing exclusively on the road for the last few years.  

June 6 marks their return to home track with UWindsor staff, students and alumni among those gearing up for a game at Tecumseh Arena. 

David Suzuki calls for urgent action and community resilience during UWindsor visit

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 16:16

By John-Paul Bonadonna

The University of Windsor welcomed one of Canada’s most influential voices in environmental science and advocacy, Dr. David Suzuki, for a wide-ranging and candid evening that challenged audiences to confront the realities of climate change and their own role in it.

Hosted by the Faculty of Science, the School of the Environment and the Healthy Headwaters Lab, An Evening with Dr. David Suzuki drew a sold-out audience from across campus and Windsor-Essex. 

Sixty years after grandfather's graduation, UWindsor student carries on a family physics tradition

Fri, 04/24/2026 - 16:17

By Sara Elliott 

The passion for physics runs strong in one University of Windsor family. 

Second-year student Will Conlon is continuing a family tradition in physics, following his maternal grandfather, John A. Giffen (BSc ’62, MBA ‘72), who graduated from physics in 1962. 

Where sturgeon meets ceremony: Walpole Island school opens hatchery connecting youth to land and water

Fri, 04/17/2026 - 16:32

By Sara Elliott

At the Bkejwanong Kinomaagewgamig and Anishinaabeg Kinomaagewgamig Immersion School on Walpole Island First Nation, students will soon learn fish biology in Anishinaabemowin — the same language their ancestors used to describe these waters — while raising the very fish that have sustained their community for generations. 

The Giigoonyig Enjintaawgiwaad — “Place Where Fish Are Raised” — opened Friday, April 17, at a ceremony marking the beginning of a new kind of classroom: one where fish biology, ecological stewardship and Anishinaabe knowledge are taught as inseparable. 

What if a children's book could take the fear out of cancer? Three UWindsor grads hope it can

Thu, 04/16/2026 - 14:31

By Sara Elliott 

Cancer is a difficult subject to approach, both emotionally and academically.  

Explaining it to children makes that challenge even greater.  

Biology researcher wins UWindsor thesis pitch competition with study on breastfeeding and cancer risk

Thu, 04/09/2026 - 10:54

Biology PhD candidate Isabelle Hinch earned first place at the 2026 University of Windsor Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition with a three-minute pitch on breastfeeding and breast cancer risk. 

Judged on comprehension, communication and engagement, Hinch took the top prize at the April 1 final. In addition to a $1,000 cash prize, she will represent UWindsor at the provincial competition hosted by Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., on May 6, 2026. 

Co-existing on campus with Canada geese

Thu, 04/09/2026 - 10:21

By Kate Hargreaves

While warmer spring weather seems to be slow to arrive this year, one of the surest signs of spring on campus is the often-noisy activity of Canada geese. 

Whether honking from the rooftops of tall buildings or nesting in the grass — or occasionally hissing at a passer-by who comes too close — Canada geese are ubiquitous at the University of Windsor. 

High school robotics teams to face off in action-packed competition

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 13:53

By Kate Hargreaves

Thirty-five high school teams from across the province will converge at the University of Windsor’s Toldo Lancer Centre April 9 to 11 to put their teamwork, leadership and innovation to the test at the Windsor Essex Great Lakes District’s FIRST Robotics Competition. 

Robots will compete head-to-head, showcasing student engineering prowess, creative problem-solving and strategy in front of stands full of cheering fans.