Meet the 2025 Transdisciplinary Catalyst Grant recipients! Below you will find information on the teams, the topics, and the conference dates. For more inquires, please reach out to mssi [at] mcgill.ca.

1. L4E: Toward territories of life in the Chateauguay and Champlain-Richelieu watersheds

Team: Dr. Kirsten Anker (Law); Dr. Colin Scott (Anthropology); Dr. Brian Leung (Biology, BSE); Dr. Nil Basu (Natural Resource Science)

Conference: Fall 2025

Description: The project鈥檚 center of gravity is Territories of Life (ToLs) - areas governed, managed and conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities where biocultural diversity and land-based livelihoods are mutually enhancing. Our goal is to blaze transformational paths right where we live and offer a model for the multiplication of ToLs for a recovering Earth. We will foster a place-based community of practice and alliance; map biodiversity status; assess habitat loss, pollution, and contaminants; apply perspectives from agroecology, agroforestry and bioregionalism to enhance shared livelihoods and biodiversity; nurture public outreach; and address changes in knowledge, law and governance needed to promote ToL resurgence.

2. 黑料社 Urban Climate Risk and Resilience Initiative (MUCRRI)*

Team: Dr. Raja Sengupta (Geography); Dr. Fr茅d茅ric Fabry (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences); Dr. Djordje Romanic (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences); Dr. Laxmi Sushama (Civil Engineering)

Conference: Week of May 18th

Description: MUCRRI will build transdisciplinary capacity to assess urban climate risk and design resilient responses. The initiative strengthens collaboration with municipal and regional agencies, public health stakeholders and international partners to translate research into policy and on-the-ground planning interventions.

3. Environmental determinants and run-off pollution: Structure and biomineralization of the shell of bay scallop (Argopecten irradians)

Team: Dr. Natalie Reznikov (Bioengineering); Dr. Jean-Fran莽ois Trempe (Pharmacology)

Conference: May 2026

Description: This project investigates how environmental drivers influence shell structure and biomineralization in the bay scallop, linking lab-scale mechanistic studies with field assessments of runoff and pollution. Bay scallops are ecosystem engineers that enhance biodiversity, filter eutrophic waters, and sequester carbon, but their survival is threatened by coastal pollution. Heavy metals like copper, zinc, and lead weaken their shells by interfering with biomineralization, reducing growth and survival rates. Results will inform aquaculture resilience strategies and coastal ecosystem management.

4. An Integrated Platform for Agro-Environmental Modelling (IPAM) to mitigate the impacts of climate change on soils, water and crops. **

Team: Dr. Zhiming Qi (Bioresource Engineering), Dr. Joann Whalen (NRS), Dr. Chandra Madramootoo (Bioresource Engineering), Dr. Laxmi Sushama (Civil Engineering)

Conference: Summer 2026

Description: IPAM will construct an integrated research platform to examine connections between agricultural and marine systems, focusing on nutrient flows, cross-system impacts and resilience strategies. The conference will be used launch a new platform and co-develop tools with stakeholders across farming, fisheries and policy sectors to improve stewardship and sustainable agriculture.

5. Sustainable architected porous metamaterials for renewable energy conversion and storage

Team: Prof. Abdolhamid Akbarzadeh (Bioresource Engineering), Prof. Valerie Orsat (Bioresource Engineering), Prof. Changhong Cao (Mechanical Engineering), Prof. Agus Sasmito (Mining Engineering), Prof. Jinhyuk Lee (Materials Engineering)

Conference: Summer 2026

Description: This conference will showcase cutting-edge advances in porous and architected metamaterials that are transforming energy conversion and storage. Presentations will explore how sustainable resources, additive manufacturing, and innovative material design are driving progress in technologies such as piezoelectric harvesters, triboelectric generators, and microbatteries. Themes will include strategies to improve efficiency, durability, and environmental performance, as well as pathways to broaden energy access in underserved regions. By convening a global community of researchers and practitioners, the conference aims to foster collaborations that accelerate breakthroughs in sustainable energy metamaterials and shape the transition to renewable energy.

6. Nature-based Climate Solutions for a Secure Canada: Opportunities, risks, & uncertainty (NbCS)

Team: Dr. Brian Robinson (Geography); Dr. Grant Clark (Natural Resources & Environment); Dr. Sarah Knox (Geography); Dr. Nigel Roulet (Geography)

Conference: TBD

Description: Nature-based climate solutions (NbCS) are essential for addressing the global climate crisis, with the carbon offset market projected to reach $250 billion by 2050. However, challenges such as weak scientific-policy integration and market integrity hinder their full potential. We aim to address these gaps by convening a multidisciplinary working group to produce a white paper and symposium, fostering long-term collaboration on NbCS research, policy, and equitable implementation.

7. Bacterialised Hydrogels for Climate Resilient Agriculture**

Team: Dr. Saji George (Food Science and Ag Chem), Dr. Yixiang Wang (Food Science and Ag Chem), Dr. Shiv O. Prasher (Bioresource Engineering)

Conference: Summer 2026

Description: Addressing water scarcity in agriculture, this project develops hydrogel-microbial soil amendments to improve water retention and plant resilience. The team will bridge lab innovation with on-farm trials and industry engagement to accelerate adoption and scale resilient cropping practices.

8. CanFlux: Canadian Greenhouse Gas Flux Network Team: Dr. Sara Knox (Geography)

Conference: October 2025

Description: This workshop will bring together researchers, government scientists, private sector partners, and funding agency representatives from across Canada to co-develop CanFlux - a pan-Canadian initiative aimed at revitalizing and integrating Canada鈥檚 greenhouse gas (GHG) flux observation and prediction system. Building on priorities identified in the 2019 Canadian Carbon Cycle Research Workshop, this effort will address long-standing calls for an integrated, national network to monitor, understand, and forecast carbon and GHG dynamics across Canada鈥檚 diverse ecosystems and regions.

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* Funded by Sustainable Growth Initiative

** Funded by Brace Water Center听