The Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) kicked off its seventh annual Academia Week on Monday, Jan. 23. The week-long series of talks, presentations, and networking events will showcase new and innovative research, while promoting science career paths beyond the arenas of medicine and academia.

The highlight of the week will likely be the keynote address on Friday by world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne. Tessier-Lavigne, who is currently president of The Rockefeller University, was once an executive vice-president of biotech giant Genentech. Tessier-Lavigne is a McGill alumnus and Rhodes Scholar, and his current research centres around developmental neuroscience and degenerative neural diseases.

Neil Verma, SUS VP Academic, told the Tribune how the SUS was able to get Tessier-Lavigne as a speaker.

“His extensive ties to McGill as a renowned alumni was the main factor that allowed us to secure him as the keynote despite his busy schedule,” Verma said. “We are extremely excited to have him come and speak not only about his academic career but his progression from a McGill BSc to the current president of [The] Rockefeller University in New York.”

The week will also feature more lighthearted  speaker events, including a talk on the science of sports and human sexuality.

Verma spoke about the society’s choice to host a somewhat unconventional talk by sex therapist Dr. Laurie Betito.

“We have always been looking for fresh ideas to incorporate into our weekly repertoire,” he said. “Dr. Betito’s work seemed to be a novel application of the fields of psychology and sex therapy, which we felt would be very well received by McGill students.”

–Anand Bery