Growing up in a small town in Quebec, Jean-Félix Milette had limited opportunities to explore science. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
In high school, he discovered his passion for physics through pop-science physics books and YouTube videos. With guidance from his high school physics teacher, he researched topics beyond class material. That determination to learn would eventually make him the first person in his close family to attend university and, years later, pursue a PhD.
Despite his innate curiosity and love of learning, Jean-Félix had never imagined himself pursuing a career in research.
That changed in his third year at uOttawa, when teaching assistant Ryan Plumadore noticed the physics simulations Jean-Félix had been programming in his free time.
“He told me I had great potential for research,” Jean-Félix recalls. “That was probably the point when I started thinking that maybe I could actually do it.”
This encouragement led him to pursue a summer research assistantship where he studied the optical properties of atomically thin quantum materials.
From quantum materials to sustainable computing
Today, Jean-Félix is a PhD student studying quantum magnetic interfaces under the supervision of Professor Hang Chi. In the lab, they combine magnetic materials with topological insulators, which are quantum materials that insulate on the inside but conduct electricity on their surfaces. Along these surfaces, electrical current is unusually resistant to the imperfections that typically hinder its flow. These unusual properties could help power next-generation devices.
One example is computer memory. Every computer relies on random-access memory (RAM). Pairing magnetic materials with topological insulators could lead to a faster, more efficient version called magnetic RAM.
“The goal is to continue scaling devices down while maintaining or even increasing performance and efficiency,” Jean-Félix says.
He explains that this advance could be especially beneficial to AI data centres. These centres generate significant heat and require extensive cooling systems that rely on fresh water, as salt water is corrosive. By developing memory devices that generate less heat, researchers could reduce both the energy needed to power AI systems and the fresh water required to cool them.
“Part of what I’ll be doing is bringing knowledge back to Canada and helping expand the research community here”
Jean-Félix Milette
Bringing knowledge home
Jean-Félix has come a long way from watching YouTube physics tutorials in his small town in Quebec. He’s the recipient of the prestigious Ontario Graduate Scholarship, which recognizes the excellence of his doctoral research. But the recognition doesn’t stop there.
In fall 2026, Jean-Félix will attend the highly competitive 2nd National Neutron Scattering School at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, followed by a three-month research internship under the supervision of Dr. Valeria Lauter.
Supported by both the Mitacs Globalink Research Award and the Graduate Research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory program, this placement will allow him to study quantum magnetic interfaces at one of the world’s leading neutron research facilities.
For Jean-Félix, the experience is bigger than his own career. Because Canada has limited neutron research infrastructure, he sees this opportunity as a chance to help strengthen Canadian expertise in the field.
“Part of what I’ll be doing is bringing knowledge back to Canada and helping expand the research community here,” he says.