The VIVA Program, our knowledge mobilization initiative, has launched its VIVA Awards to recognize the best knowledge mobilization activities undertaken by Douglas students and trainees.
For this competition, VIVA is joining forces with Science POP, a pan-Quebec science communication initiative proposed by IRCM and propelled by FRQS, with the aim of promoting science-society dialogue. The Science POP initiative is part of the overall vision of research institutions and funding agencies to put science at the service of society. In this spirit, the competition aims to awaken scientific curiosity in Quebec society and encourage the training of the next generation of students beyond the laboratory experience:
Passing on knowledge. Promote research. Be an agent of change.
The Science Pop program was set up by IRCM and supported by the FRQS. As part of this program, 15 institutions across Quebec organized local science communication events, which led to the selection of finalists in each of three categories, which in 2024 are:
Popularization, a 5-minute presentation designed to inform the general public about the research,
Media, a 2-minute presentation accompanied by a press release,
Sustainable health, a 7-minute presentation on how their work supports sustainable health.
The finalists from each institution then meet and take part in three high-level challenges, resulting in the selection of nine winners.
The 3 winning presentationsfor the 2024 VIVA Awards are
- Dominique (Nikki) Lumley (team of Naguib Mechawar), for the popularization challenge,
- Jana Totzek (team of Martin Lepage) for the Media challenge,
- Sujata Sinha (team of Bruno Debruille) for the Sustainable health challenge.
All the presentations were of the highest quality!
Danae Penichet (teams of Nicolas Cermakian et Patricia Silveira) won the People’s Choice award for the Media Challenge.
The 3 presentations that moved forward from the Douglas, and who were chosen through the 2023 VIVA Awards are
- Sophie Simard (Mechawar Lab), in the Popularization Challenge,
- Kristelle Alunni-Menichini (Perreault Lab) in the Valorization Challenge,
- Julie Fortin & Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard (Brunet & Ferrari Labs) in the Mobilization Challenge.
The three Douglas finalists impressed the audience and the judges, with Justine Fortin & Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard taking home both the first prize and the People’s Choice award for the Mobilization Challenge.
