2026 marks the Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program’s inaugural year.
The initiative supports collaborations between uOttawa science professors and artists. It provides funding, studio space and resources in collaboration with the Department of Visual Arts to support innovative interdisciplinary research projects. The 2026 cohort includes Clara Laratta, working with biology professor Cory Harris; Angela Marsh, working with biology professor Heather Kharouba; and Cristian Zaelzer, working with chemistry professor Adam Shuhendler.
Born from an unexpected collaboration
Biologist Heather Kharouba wasn’t always deeply involved in the arts. “I was so focused on science for so long,” she reflects. Her growing interest, she adds, “is a recent pivot, and it’s been so great.”
Professor Kharouba credits much of this new creative perspective to Ottawa-based artist Valérie Chartrand. In 2022, Chartrand approached Professor Kharouba about collaborating on an art–-science public discussion. It quickly became clear that the two shared a strong interest in environmental issues, sparking the idea for a larger project.
Professor Kharouba later invited Chartrand to join her research team at the Meadow Mosaic Lab. The continued partnership culminated in Flutterings, an art exhibition exploring monarch butterflies and climate change. This exhibition ultimately inspired Professor Kharouba to launch the AiR Program, along with key support from Vincent Tabard-Cossa, vice-dean of innovation and strategic partnerships.
Reaping the rewards of interdisciplinary research
Through her work with Chartrand, Professor Kharouba had already seen the possibilities of blending science with art. In studying Chartrand’s ultraviolet photography, she and her team examined floral patterns essential for pollinators yet invisible to the naked eye. This work led them to explore a largely understudied question: how climate change might alter these critical features.
For the 2026 AiR Program, Professor Kharouba — whose lab focuses primarily on insects—is collaborating with Marsh, an artist who is originally from Toronto and currently a PhD candidate at Université Laval. Marsh’s work explores the rewilding and restoration of plant communities, often questioning the extent to which humans should intervene in natural systems.
Professor Kharouba is already energized by the possibilities of their collaboration.
“Are there ways we can intentionally build physical structures into restoration efforts that better support plant growth, and, in turn, create stronger support systems for insects?” she asks.
Making science more accessible
Alongside advancing scientific discovery, the AiR Program also holds significant potential for turning knowledge into action. The 2026 artist residency will conclude with public exhibitions in spring 2027 for all three of the participating artists. Professor Kharouba hopes this will provide the opportunity for the general public to engage in scientific conversations that are both accessible and memorable.
As a 2025 COMPASS Pathfinder, Professor Kharouba focuses on more inclusive and collaborative approaches to conservation and science communication. She sees her partnership with Marsh as an opportunity to encourage people to reconsider dismissive assumptions about plants often labelled as “weeds” or “non-native species.”
“People have strong opinions about their environment ,” she says, pointing to the ways people go to great lengths to control weeds in their gardens. Yet the stigma surrounding these wild plants can have serious consequences for biodiversity, as many provide essential food and habitats for insects and other animals.
Art–science creations offer a way to challenge those assumptions through emotional and sensory experiences rather than data. The AiR Program lays the foundation to foster impact that lasts.
A growing vision
Though AiR is still in its first official year, Professor Kharouba’s long-term goals are both ambitious and inspiring. “I want the program to continue sustainably and ensure that artists are supported equitably, year after year,” she explains.
Future plans may include expanding beyond visual arts into disciplines such as dance and music, as well as developing a student stream to give student researchers and student artists similar opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.