With the add-drop period coming to an end and several more cold months lying ahead, the winter semester at McGill seems as daunting as ever. Luckily, for those who take pleasure in learning new things, there is respite to be found on campus and throughout the city of Montreal. With that, here are five science events and exhibits to attend when looking for some educational enrichment.
TSI seminar series
The Trottier Space Institute hosts a recurring seminar nearly every Tuesday of the semester at 3:30 p.m. in the Bell Room of the Rutherford Physics Building. This week’s seminar on Jan. 14 features research from Michael L. Wong, astrobiologist and planetary scientist at Carnegie Science.
In his talk, Wong will explore our place in the universe, describing various projects of his, from exoplanet biosignatures—evidence of life on planets outside of our solar system—to the philosophical principles guiding space exploration.
Banquet at the Montreal Science Centre
While many of the exhibits at the Montreal Science Centre target a younger audience, Banquet is guaranteed fun for all ages. This interactive culinary adventure, running until Mar. 16, 2025, has several different sections to explore.
The Kitchen section goes over a few basic cooking skills, and explains the physics and chemistry behind them. For an immersive sensory experience, head to the Multimedia Show, which combines images, sounds, and aromas in a production inspired by French chef Thierry Marx and chemist Raphaël Haumont.
Scientista symposium
The Scientista Foundation aims to support and connect pre-professional women in STEM across Canada and the United States. Women are consistently underrepresented in STEM disciplines, making up only 34 per cent of the scientific workforce. The foundation believes that creating a network of women in scientific fields will increase accessibility to resources for young scientists, and ultimately unify the voices of those who frequently go unheard.
The McGill Students Chapter for Scientista will be hosting its third annual symposium on Mar. 18, 2025, in the SSMU Ballroom. The event runs all day, featuring a McGill professor panel, two keynote speakers, as well as poster and three-minute thesis (3MT) competitions. Register for free to attend or to participate in these competitions before Jan. 19, 2025. Enjoy complimentary food and drinks throughout the day.
Witches: Out of the Shadows
Spending time in Old Port with $27 CAD to spare? Interested in paganism? Head to Pointe-à-Callière—Montreal’s Museum of Archaeology and History—to learn all about witches. This exhibit features over 400 objects to help recount the history of the witch, detailing everything from traditional practices in witchcraft to the tragic witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries.
It additionally delves into the evolution of witches, explaining where the figure originated and how it came to represent feminism as it does today. Running until Apr. 6, 2025, this exhibit is certainly worth checking out for those looking for an interactive journey through history.
Understanding tropical ecosystems and climate change
Because tropical forests vary so greatly with respect to species diversity and human interaction, it is difficult to predict how individual forests will respond to climate change and land-usage change.
Join Elsa Ordway, assistant professor in University of California, Los Angeles’ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, in her discussion on Mar. 28 at 12:00 p.m. in Room 426 of Burnside Hall, where she explores the use of remote sensing to predict a tropical forest’s reaction to its ever-changing environment. Remote sensing measures the radiation emitted from a given area to monitor its physical characteristics and is typically performed from an aircraft or a satellite.
