Sentinel North
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About Sentinel North

In 2015, Université Laval received a $98 million grant from the federal government’s Canada First Research Excellence Fund, the largest research grant in its history. The Fund helps Canadian universities compete with the best in the world and implement large-scale, transformational and forward-thinking institutional strategies. Among other strengths, Sentinel North distinguished itself with its focus on transdisciplinary research.

 

An unprecedented transdisciplinary strategy

In a context of accelerated climate change and socioeconomic development in arctic and subarctic regions, Sentinel North allows Université Laval and its partners to draw on over a half-century of excellence in northern and optics/photonics research to develop innovative technologies and improve our understanding of the changing northern environment and its impact on human beings and their health.

34


departments

150+


professors

300+

graduate students and
postdoctoral fellows

45+

transdisciplinary
teams

100+

research
professionnals

400+

partners and
collaborators

 

Vision

To shed light on the northern environment and its impact on humans by means of innovative light-based technologies and trans-sectoral initiatives in support of sustainable health and development.

Where environment, health and optics/photonics intersect

The Sentinel North research program encourages the development of collaborative teams and research projects with an emphasis on discovery, transdisciplinarity, innovation, teamwork, national and international partnerships, and technology transfer. It builds on the convergence of research areas in which Université Laval is already recognized as a national and international leader, notably through the attribution of four Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of northern and Arctic science, optics/photonics, cardiometabolic health and the microbiome, and neuroscience.

 

A strategy driven by excellence, engagement and experience

Sentinel North is implementing an innovative transdisciplinary training strategy to attract and train the best students from Canada and abroad: fellowship and internship competitions, incoming and outgoing mobility awards, international PhD schools, and a multitude of new experiential training opportunities.

  • Governance of Sentinel North

    Overall activities of Sentinel North's strategic research are supported by its Scientific Directors and its Executive Director.

     

    Steering Committee

    The Steering Committee is responsible for providing the institutional resources and vision necessary to achieve the Sentinel North strategy. In addition to approving program expenditures, it is mandated to oversee its management and provide strategic advice related to its overall direction. The committee ensures progress towards the program's objectives, performance indicators and deliverables. It makes the final decisions on the recommendations made by the Scientific Directors, the Executive Director and all Sentinel North committees. The committee is composed in majority of members of the university management and faculties involved in Sentinel North. External members and representatives of partners may be invited.

    Composition of the Steering Committee

    • Marcel Babin, Scientific Director, Sentinel North and CERC on Remote Sensing Canada's New Arctic Frontier
    • Rénald Bergeron, Vice-Rector, External, International and Health Affairs
    • Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector, Research, Creation and Innovation (President)
    • Alysha Croker, Manager, Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (Observer)
    • André Darveau, Vice-Rector, Administration
    • Yves De Koninck, Scientific Director, Sentinel North and Research Director, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec
    • Jean-Claude Dufour, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
    • Martin Fortier (non-voting), Executive Director of Sentinel North and assistant to the Vice-Rector for Research, Creation and Innovation
    • François Gélineau, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences
    • Julien Poitras, Dean, Faculty of Medicine
    • André Zaccarin, Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering

     

    Scientific Directors

    The two Scientific Directors are appointed by the Steering Committee to provide the necessary leadership for the vitality of the program, the active participation of its members and the relevance and scientific quality of its activities. They establish, in consultation with the steering committee and under the advice of the scientific committee and the deployment committee, a strategic development plan and a scientific program meeting the program's objectives. They promote the program to the scientific community, the private and public sectors, and the public. They are members of the steering committee and lead the scientific committee as well as the deployment committee.

     

    Executive Director

    The Executive Director provides leadership for operations and day-to-day activities and works with the Steering Committee and Scientific Directors towards the development and implementation of the program's strategic and operational plan. It participates in network development, acts as a spokesperson for the program and liaises with funding agencies, government, industry and other non-governmental organizations. He is an ex-officio member of the steering committee (non-voting), the scientific committee, the deployment committee, the international scientific evaluation committee (non-voting), the research valorization committee, the technological instrument development platform management committee and the scholarship selection committee.

     

    Scientific Committee

    The Scientific Committee provides advice or makes recommendations to the Steering Committee through the Scientific Directors on Sentinel North's scientific priorities and calls for projects. This committee is led by the Scientific Directors and is composed of Université Laval's Chairs of Excellence in Research, the Executive Director, renowned researchers from outside of Université Laval and any other person considered to be part of of the Committee by the Steering Committee.

    Composition of the Scientific Committee

    • Marcel Babin (Co-Chair), Scientific Director, Sentinel North and CERC on Remote Sensing Canada's New Arctic Frontier
    • Yves De Koninck (Co-chair), Scientific Director, Sentinel North and Research Director, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec
    • Martin Fortier (non-voting), Executive Director of Sentinel North and assistant to the Vice-Rector for Research, Creation and Innovation
    • Pierre Marquet, CERC on neurophotonics
    • Younès Messaddeq, CERC on innovation in photonics in the field of telecommunications and information
    • Vincenzo DiMarzo, CERC on the microbiome-endocannabinoidome axis in metabolic health
    • Names of external experts to come

     

    Deployment Committee

    The Deployment Committee is a committee that provides advice or makes recommendations to the Steering Committee through the Scientific Directors on the progress and deployment of research, collaboration, training, partnership and networking activities within the program. It is composed of the Scientific Directors, the Vice-rector for Research, Creation and Innovation, the directors of the thematic projects, the directors of research centers, the Executive Director, the coordinator of the technological platform and any other person considered to be part of the Committee by the Executive Committee.

    Composition of the Deployment Committee

    • Marcel Babin (Co-Chair), Scientific Director, Sentinel North and CERC on Remote Sensing Canada's New Arctic Frontier
    • Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector, Research, Creation and Innovation
    • Yves De Koninck (Co-chair), Scientific Director, Sentinel North and Research Director, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec
    • Louis Fortier, Scientific Director, ArcticNet Network of Centers of Excellence, Amundsen Research Icebreaker and Institut nordique du Québec
    • Martin Fortier (non-voting), Executive Director of Sentinel North and assistant to the Vice-Rector for Research, Creation and Innovation
    • André Marette, Scientific Director, Institute on Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Co-Director of Thematic Project 3
    • Gina Muckle, Professor, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments
    • Denis Richard, Director of Research, University Heart and Lung Institute of Québec
    • Stéphane Roche, Professor, Geomatics Research Center
    • Thierry Rodon, Director, Interuniversity Centre for Aboriginal Studies and Research (CIÉRA)
    • René Therrien, Vice-Dean of Research, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, Director of Thematic Project 1
    • Sylvie Turgeon, Director, INAF
    • Réal Vallée, Director, Center for Optics, Photonics and Laser (COPL), Director of Thematic Project 2
    • Warwick Vincent, Center for Nordic Studies (CEN), co-director of Thematic Project 3
    • Jean-Marie Trudeau, Coordinator, Technological Instrument Development Platform, Sentinel North

     

     

    International Scientific Assessment Committee

    The International Scientific Assessment Committee provides assessments, monitors the progress of funded projects, and makes recommendations to the Steering Committee through the Scientific Directors for funding applications received through Sentinel North call to projects. The work of the committee is based on a peer review process and the committee is composed of scientists and international stakeholders external to Université Laval recognized in the research fields of Sentinel North and selected to limit the situations of potential conflicts of interest in the evaluation of the applications assigned to them. Scientific Directors do not sit on the committee. The Executive Director sits as a non-voting member.

     

    International Advisory Committee

    The international advisory committee provides high-level advice to the steering committee, strategic advisory committee, and scientific directors regarding the program’s strategic and scientific thrusts. This advice is used for comparative analysis in accordance with international standards and to deal with the conflicting interests within the network structure.

    The committee is made up of internationally recognized scientists and research figures.

     

    Research Valorization Committee

    The Research Valorization Committee helps identify discoveries that have potential for application and commercialization as part of Sentinel North's research activities. It guides the implementation of mobilization and transfer activities that maximize the use of search results by users. The Committee recommends to the Steering Committee, through the Executive Director, adequate allocations from the Sentinel North Innovation Maturity Fund.

    Composition of the Research Valorization Committee

    • Martin Castonguay, Research Development and Technology Transfer Advisor, VRRCI
    • Martin Fortier (non-voting), Executive Director of Sentinel North and assistant to the Vice-Rector for Research, Creation and Innovation
    • Jean-François Hainse, director, SOVAR
    • Marie Nadeau, Research Development Advisor, Faculty of Science and Engineering
    • Béatrice Saint-Cricq, partnership and valorization, CNRS / Sentinel North 
    • Jean-François Simard, Director, Bureau de liaison Université-Milieu (BLUM)
    • Tommy Seaborn, Research Development Advisor, Faculty of Medicine
    • Jean-Marie Trudeau, Coordinator, Technological Instrument Development Platform, Sentinel North

     

    Technological Instrument Development Platform Management Committee

    The Technological Instrument Development Platform Management Committee oversees the activities of the platform, reviews the operating budget and the strategic and operational objectives proposed by the coordinator and ensures that the platform has the appropriate resources to achieve its goals. The committee guides the coordinator in managing the priorities assigned to projects using platform support and sets these priorities in the event of conflict. The committee reports to the Steering Committee via the Executive Director of Sentinel North.

     

    Scholarship Selection Committee

    The purpose of the Scholarship Selection Committee is to select the recipients of the Sentinel North doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships. It is led by the Sentinel North Training Program Coordinator and is comprised of at least two faculty members from different disciplines, a member of the Technological Instrument Development Platform, a representative from the VRRCI and the Executive Director of Sentinel North. The committee reports to the Steering Committee via the Executive Director of Sentinel North.

Canada First Research Excellence Fund

Sentinelle Nord logo apogée Canada CFRER

Launched in December 2014 as part of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) invests approximately $200 million per year to support Canada’s postsecondary institutions in their efforts to compete with the best in the world, to seize emerging opportunities and strategically advance their greatest strengths on the global stage, and to implement large-scale, transformational and forward-thinking institutional strategies. These institutional projects must align the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority research areas.

 

Questions?