These appointments come as Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announces funding under the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs program. This billion-dollar federal program is designed to attract top international talent to Canadian universities. There, they’ll lead transformational research on national strategic priorities.
“This once-in-a-generation investment from the Government of Canada recognizes the critical role of universities in shaping the future of our country through groundbreaking research,” says Marie-Eve Sylvestre, uOttawa president and vice-chancellor. “Located in the heart of our nation’s capital, the University of Ottawa is Canada’s only bilingual research-intensive university. This unique position allows us to build on our exceptional research strengths to drive innovation and inform policy.”
“Attracting such accomplished scholars enables us to further advance our leading research areas, build national capacity and transform discoveries into solutions that the country needs.”
Marie-Eve Sylvestre
— University of Ottawa President and Vice-Chancellor
Driving innovation within a powerful research ecosystem
All seven chairs align with Government of Canada priorities and areas where uOttawa has established world-class expertise, strong partnerships and research capacity. These areas include health innovation, Arctic and climate resilience, advanced technologies, community well-being and sustainable development.
For example, in health and biotechnology, four new chairholders will join one of Canada’s most integrated health research ecosystems. The Ottawa Academic Health Network connects the University with five affiliated research hospitals, and the soon-to-open Advanced Medical Research Centre will expand opportunities for discovery and collaboration. This powerful combination of clinical partnerships, research excellence and cutting-edge infrastructure sets up researchers to tackle some of the most complex health challenges of our time — from improving cancer diagnosis and treatment to advancing regenerative medicine, strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes for diverse populations.
Three prominent researchers joining uOttawa will also strengthen the University’s leadership in Arctic research, climate resilience, community-engaged research and population health. Their work will enhance the impact of the uOttawa Arctic Research Hub, supporting Arctic sovereignty, sustainable development and Indigenous-led approaches to research and policy. Meanwhile, partnerships with Indigenous communities, public health organizations and governments will help address chronic disease, improve health outcomes, reduce inequities and inform evidence-based decisions.
Access to unique infrastructure such as the André E. Lalonde National Facility for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, a lab with world-leading isotope science capabilities, will help these researchers advance knowledge on climate change, protect water resources, enhance Arctic monitoring and support environmental stewardship.
The University being close to policymakers, federal agencies and Canada’s largest technology park in Kanata North will also support collaboration, putting knowledge to use and commercializing research across a range of fields, including manufacturing and advanced materials. Its strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and cybersecurity further enhance opportunities to turn discoveries into innovations that strengthen Canada’s security, drive economic growth and boost global competitiveness.
“Leading researchers have options,” says Julie St-Pierre, vice-president, research and innovation. “They choose institutions where their ambitious ideas can flourish, where they can build exceptional teams, tackle complex challenges and create meaningful impact.”
“This success reflects the extraordinary research environment we’ve created at uOttawa and the strength of our partnerships across the region.”
Julie St Pierre
— Vice-President, Research and Innovation
In addition, uOttawa has received funding for each chair through the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders stream. Funds will support recruitment of seven internationally based early-career researchers to work in the same strategic priority areas as the chairholders. This will create opportunities for collaboration across uOttawa’s research ecosystem.
“Canada has both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead as the world turns its attention increasingly to the Arctic,” says Jennifer Spence, who will join uOttawa from Harvard University in October as a professor cross-appointed to the faculties of Social Sciences and Arts. “I couldn’t be more excited to join uOttawa at this pivotal moment.”
“The University’s growing commitment to the Arctic creates an extraordinary platform to bring people and ideas together, strengthen partnerships across the Circumpolar North and contribute to meaningful action.”
Jennifer Spence
— Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience
Meet the researchers coming to uOttawa
Arctic resilience and climate change
Gabriel Bowen
Bowen joins uOttawa from the University of Utah as Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Applied Isotope Science. It aims to strengthen Canada’s capacity to address climate change, protect water resources and support evidence-based decisions. His work will also enhance tools for Arctic monitoring and secure supply chains, helping to tackle priorities around environmental stewardship, resource security and economic resilience.
Jennifer Spence
Spence is arriving from Harvard University to be the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience. The chair will help strengthen Canada’s role in the Arctic at a time of growing environmental, geopolitical and security challenges. Working with partners, she’ll promote Indigenous and northern leadership, community resilience and international collaboration, and advance Canadian interests in the North.
Manufacturing and advanced materials
Federico Rosei
Drawn to uOttawa from the University of Trieste in Italy, Rosei will serve as Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Emerging Sustainable Materials for the Energy Transition. He’ll help accelerate Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy by developing advanced materials for next-generation clean-energy technologies. His research will strengthen Canada’s innovation ecosystem, support clean economic growth and help develop the highly qualified workforce needed for the energy transition.
Health and biotechnology
Kevin Hall
Hall is currently Senior Director and Clinical Scientist at AstraZeneca, following a 21-year research career at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. He has been selected for the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Nutrition and Metabolic Health at the University of Ottawa. His proposed research program would generate evidence to improve the prevention and treatment of obesity and cardiometabolic disease, conditions that affect millions of people across Canada. The research aims to inform clinical care and public policy and contribute to a more sustainable health-care system.
Ryan McNeil
McNeil was recruited from Yale University to serve as Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Equity-Oriented Responses to the Drug Toxicity and Housing Crises. He’ll advance solutions to some of Canada’s most pressing public health and social challenges. By informing policies and programs that reduce harms from substance use and housing instability, his work will support healthier, safer and more equitable communities.
Olga Smirnova
Smirnova comes to us from the Max Born Institute in Germany to become the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Ultrafast Chirality for Health, Environment and Quantum Technologies. She’ll advance Canadian leadership in quantum and photonic technologies, and develop tools with applications in health care, pharmaceutical development and environmental monitoring. Her work will make Canada more competitive in strategic technology sectors and help drive future innovation.
Cassian Yee
A leading researcher from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the U.S., Yee will be the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Next-Generation Translational T-Cell Immunotherapies. This chair will put Canada at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy by accelerating the development of innovative, made-in-Canada cell therapies. His research will strengthen the country’s biomanufacturing and life sciences capacity and improve treatment options for patients facing some of the hardest cancers to treat.
