Recently, McGill undergraduate students had the opportunity to savor an enriching blend of knowledge and soup at the 37th edition of Soup & Science. This week-long event, occurring once a semester, highlights research taking place on campus. This semester’s showcase included topics across disciplines, ranging from quantum meta-photonics to optogenetic stimulation in roundworms, and students were able to learn and engage with these topics in an intimate setting.
The event took place at the SSMU Building and featured three to four faculty speakers, alongside one or two student speakers, presenting their projects in short, four to five-minute segments. The popular series allows students to get a broad taste of the research opportunities available to them at McGill, including undergraduate research awards, alongside some of the research currently being conducted at the University.
The presentations were followed by questions, prizes, and discussions with audience members, allowing students to connect with faculty and ask for insight from members of the McGill community.
Professor Anthony Mittermaier, who presented his research on biomolecular dynamics at this semester’s Soup & Science, met one of his own PhD students through a similar event.
“The conversations we have with students during the event, and in the weeks following, are fun and exciting,” Mittermaier said. “Science depends on excited and dedicated students. Soup & Science helps to make sure that students find out about the research that inspires them, which is the key to success.”
Showcasing width and breadth of McGill research
This edition of Soup & Science included seventeen professors and seven student presenters, representing diverse disciplines, from Physics, Neuroscience, and Computer Science to Chemistry, Biology, and Geography, among several others. Together, this group showcased both the depth and breadth of research going on at McGill.
Soup & Science, alongside its other seasonal variations like Snacks & Science, has been a yearly tradition at McGill since it was created by the Office of Undergraduate Research in 2005.
“Soup & Science has provided our undergraduates the opportunity, usually in their first year at McGill, to hear and see their professors and colleagues describe their research projects or programs,” said Bruce Lennox, Dean of Science, “It is often the first time that our students get to see how scientific knowledge is created and communicated beyond the textbook and classroom. And it is almost certainly the first time that these students are able to see themselves as being future researchers.”
The next Soup & Science will take place during the Fall 2024 term. Keep an eye on the Soup & Science website for updates.