15505009 visits
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Faculty of Science
and
Faculty of Education
University of Ottawa
Science Education and
Science Communication
(Ecology, Evolution and
Environmental Science)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Professeur adjoint
Département de biologie
Faculté des sciences
et
Faculté de l’Éducation
Université d’Ottawa
Pédagogie scientifique et communication scientifique
(Écologie, Évolution et Sciences
Environnementales)
archive page
I am honoured to have been selected as one of 5 finalists in Canada for the Nature Inspiration Award 2022 from the Canadian Museum of Nature. I am among some strong candidates who have all made impressive impacts on Canadian society and our love of nature and the environment. Check out the full list […]
I am pleased to announce the release of the first of 2 nature documentary series that I have created for my courses at uOttawa. These are meant to be generally accessible to a wide audience (and not just for undergraduate Biology students). Have a look at the teaser trailer below and then head over to […]
I was asked to speak to the reporters on CBC television news about the role of effective science communication during a pandemic. You may watch the segment in the video below and please let me know what you think!
Last summer I had a feature length interview on the popular science program Le Monde Selon Boucar, en français sur les ondes de Radio-Canada. Vous pouvez écouter l’émission ici.
Have a listen to some Biology profs discussing music, art and science in the latest uOttawa BioGrads magazine ‘BioMatters‘. I’m on second. or here’s a direct link to the audio :
Cette semaine à la Radio Unique FM à Ottawa avec Michel Picard on discute de la pseudoscience dans la recherche académique, ainsi que sa diffusion par des vedettes Hollywood dans les médias. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Cette semaine sur les ondes de Radio Unique FM à Ottawa avec Michel Picard on discute de la recherche pour la vie extra-terrestre et la découverte d’une autre ‘terre’ avec Kepler 186f à 500 million d’années lumières (seulement)! Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez.
Cette semaine sur les ondes de Radio Unique 94.5 FM à Ottawa avec Michel Picard on discute des principes illogiques de l’homéopathie et met en dispute une décision du gouvernement canadien à financer des projets d’homéopathie en Honduras via le département d’affaires mondiales Canada. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Cette semaine sur les ondes de Radio Unique FM avec Michel Picard à Ottawa on discute de l’utilisation des psychédéliques pour le traitement psychothérapeutique des maladies neuro biologiques, tels les addictions et le PTSD. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Cette semaine sur les ondes de Radio Unique FM avec Michel Picard à Ottawa, on discute de la science derrière la fête du noël et le père noël avec ses rennes. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Cette semaine sur la Radio Unique FM à Ottawa avec Michel Picard on discute de la modernisation du système métrique et la re-définition du kilogramme. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Cette semaine sur les ondes du Radio Unique FM avec Michel Picard, on parle des issus scientifiques autour de la légalisation du cannabis au Canada. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
On est de retour sur les ondes de Radio Unique FM 94.5 avec Michel Picard pour discuter des issues scientifique qui nous touchent tous. Cette semaine on a discuté de l’importance de la science en société. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
I am thrilled and honoured to have been invited by my long-time pal Richard Reed Parry (Grammy, Polaris, Juno-award winning artist from Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre) to sing on his new solo album that has been released today, entitled Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1. Check out his website to have a listen to some […]
My current science/art show is currently hanging at the Manx pub on Elgin street in Ottawa for the month of July. This show, which focusses on the aesthetic elements of insect diversity aims to connect people with nature in this common neighbourhood pub. Come on by for a drink and a chat about biodiversity and […]
On a fait un hommage au St. Jean et le solstice d’été cette semaine pour la dernière chronique scientifique de la saison avant de se reprendre en Septembre. Écoutez en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Depuis mon retour de la ville de Québec, que j’avais visiter la semaine passée pendant le temps du G7, il me semblait tout à fait approprié d’offrir mes commentaires sur ces réunions des chefs d’états, les disputes d’échange et le problème avec les ententes internationales pour la libre échange tel l’ALÉNA. Écoutez-en et dites moi […]
Cette semaine sur la radio Unique FM 94.5 à Ottawa avec Michel Picard, on parle des tiques qui portent la maladie de Lyme. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Aujourd’hui en ondes avec Michel Picard on discute de l’agriculture biologique sur Unique 94.5 FM…. est ce que c’est meilleur pour l’environnement et pour notre santé que les produits de l’agriculture conventionnelle? Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Sur la radio Unique 94.5 FM en ondes avec Michel Picard, on discute la pollution par le plastique! Écoutez en et dites moi ce que vous pensez.
Cette semaine sur la chronique scientifique sur Radio Unique FM avec Michel Picard, on a parlé de la Marche pour la Science internationale ainsi qu’un sujet qui touche plus prêt chez nous, l’exploitation pétrolière et les pipelines/oléoductes au Canada. Écoutez-en et dites moi ce que vous pensez!
Aujourd’hui j’ai animé une autre chronique scientifique hebdomadaire à la Radio Unique FM 94.5 avec Michel Picard. Chaque semaine on discute un issue scientifique qui à une pertinence quelconque avec les actualités ou des implications sociétales. Cette semaine on parle de l’entomophagie, ou l’alimentation des insectes, depuis que Loblaws avait annoncé la vente d’un poudre […]
Depuis plusieurs semaines, j’anime une chronique hebdomadaire à la radio sur la science, la nature et les implications pour la société. Cette blogue figure dans le cadre de l’émission de Michel Picard à la station Unique FM 94.5 chaque mercredi après midi à 16h45. Écoutez-en et dites moi qu’est ce que vous pensez! Cette […]
I will be traveling to Montreal in a few hours to give a guest lecture in the Drugs course (Chemistry 183) at McGill University today from 530-8. I will speak to the students about the anatomy of mammal brains, the lifetime development of emotional and psychological systems, the causes and consequences of the use of […]
I am absolutely thrilled to be chosen as one of five finalists nationally for an award that celebrates the achievements of Canadians that have shown leadership, innovation and inspiration for people to become interested in natural history, have helped to create links between people and nature, as well having contributed to the preservation of nature. […]
Last weekend, we joined around 15,000 people at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa for the latest show from Arcade Fire as they launch their Infinite Content tour. As usual, they put on an amazing show of new material mixed with some of their old classics and they totally rocked an amazing new set design. […]
A show I made with Love Nature Channel on plant and animal adaptations to predation entitled ‘Attack and Defend’ has recently been added to Netflix internationally. Have a look at the exciting (and sometimes gruesome) episodes and let me know what you think! You may watch a segment of mine on Venus Fly Traps here:
A Cross-Faculty Symposium on Science Teaching and Learning: Linking Theoretical and Practical Perspectives Faculty of Science and Faculty of Education University of Ottawa, Monday May 8, 2017 in Lamoureux 477 This inaugural cross-Faculty symposium will be a venue allowing for communication and collaboration between our two Faculties, in order to share and discuss our theoretical […]
I am saddened to hear about the death of Stuart McLean. His voice and rich stories were a staple for me over the years listening to the CBC radio. We were very touched and honoured to have had him pay tribute to my dad’s band, The Friends of Fiddler’s Green, for the Father’s Day episode […]
Recently I received the tremendous honour of becoming the very first cross-appointed professor from the Faculty of Science to the Faculty of Education in the history of the University of Ottawa. I am very excited about the opportunity to forge this new ground, to create new learning opportunities for students in both Faculties and to […]
Next Monday (October 17th) I will be a panelist at a round table discussion as part of the 2016 Trottier Symposium on Science and the Public, hosted by the McGill Office for Science and Society. We will be discussing how science is portrayed by the media and given the illustrious assemblage of celebrity scientist and […]
It is clear that science and technology are becoming increasingly important to society and that individual citizens must be able to discern fact from fiction when they are making decisions related to the environment, public or personal health, consumerism or simply acting as informed responsible citizens in a democratic society. However, in the age of […]
Wow, what an exciting day I had today. I had the pleasure of singing some vocals on a few tracks for an upcoming album from Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre), an old pal who is more like a cousin to me than anything else. Our dads sang and played together in The Friends […]
I will be offering a free online webinar this Wednesday evening (7pm EST) on practices for skill development in the public communication of science in collaboration with Evidence for Democracy. It is a free event and open to participants via the following link, please join us! https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/sites/all/modules/contrib/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=2374&qid=1260401
There is a neat new promo video that was recently put out to showcase the richness of the student experience in the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa. I make a brief cameo with some butterflies towards the end. Check it out and enrol yourself in one of the best Science programs there […]
As a member of the University of Ottawa’s committee for sustainable development and one of the founding signatories of the uOttawa fossil-fuel divestment campaign I am thrilled to announce that the Board of Governors voted this week to adopt a position of fossil-fuel divestment for uOttawa. This courageous but necessary move has positioned uOttawa as […]
This week we have seen another research article published on my work as a Science Educator at uOttawa. This study focusses on an innovative and effective method of instruction for the sciences that relies on the teaching of examples in order to learn the rule. Please have a look at “Exemplification in Science Instruction: Teaching […]
I have written another article for the McGill Office for Science and Society on the conflict between ‘knowledge’ and ‘belief’, as well as some implications for society in general. Please have a look at the article here and let me know what you think!
I have had the distinguished honour of being invited to join the Office for Science and Society at McGill University as an Associate Member. This organization, which is guided by the motto “Separating Sense From Nonsense” has the goal of increasing the public’s awareness and understanding of science in society by separating Fact from Fiction. The […]
My TEDx talk on Ayahuasca from a few years ago has taken on a life of its own among the various alleys, nooks and crannies of the internet. This week, it went a bit more mainstream when it was featured on an episode of the new Netflix television series Chelsea Does. In this episode she […]
I have just received the very first copies of a new textbook that I have compiled for The Human Animal (BIO1300) in collaboration with Pearson Canada. The topics include: The modes and mechanisms of evolution Human evolution and the hominid lineage Climate change Skin structure and function The evolution of hairlessness and skin colour UV […]
This week I spoke with Radio-Canada show Les Samedis du Monde on the topic of those pesky blackflies that plague us and prevent us from enjoying the outdoors around this time of year. If you want to listen to it, you can skip to 8:12 (after the music) and listen to the segment called Pourquoi […]
Over the past year, I have worked on writing, producing and hosting a video production on the timescale of the evolution of biodiversity on earth and the relatively recent appearance of humans on the scene, in collaboration with Dr. Ian Clark and Maverix Productions. This video is meant to act both as a standalone informal […]
I was interviewed by The Globe and Mail on the topic of those pesky Black Flies and asked to justify their existence, despite their bane on human well-being. I hope that I succeeded in rising to the defence of these pesky little creatures. You can read the article here and please let me know what you […]
Another segment from the upcoming television series ‘Love Nature’ about animal behaviour is available for viewing. In this portion, we are discussing the evolution of helping behaviour in honey bees.
Over the past year I have produced a number of videos with students of science at uOttawa and Production Maverix that showcase the sustainability initiatives at the University of Ottawa. These projects are meant in part to offer science students the opportunity to develop skills related to the media production of science communications, as well […]
Last summer, I produced and directed a short science education video with Jason Gencher a student at McGill, in collaboration with Production Maverix and Dr. Joe Schwarcz at McGill’s Office for Science and Society. It is based on some of the experiences that Jason had during his internship at Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Have […]
Check out the first of several episodes that I filmed for a new nature series entitled Love Nature on “The Mystery of the Red-Eyed Tree Frog”. Stay tuned for more as they become available and please let me know what you think!
Over the past 8 years or so, I have developed a pedagogical approach to teaching and learning of scientific terminology to accompany the instruction of a course that I teach at uOttawa on an introduction to animal form and function. One of the great challenges to students is in the requirement to learn entire lexicons […]
Over the past month, I have been working with researchers from Blue Ant Media to build segments for an upcoming series of nature documentaries that I will be narrating, called Love Nature. These video segments are on the topic of the marvellous field of Animal Behaviour and I have just completed the filming of our […]
Le Glossaire des Termes Biologiques que j’ai crée pour les étudiant.e.s en biologie à l’Université d’Ottawa et maintenant disponible comme App pour les appareils électroniques utilisant le plateforme Android. Maintenant vous pouvez porter avec vous une liste de plus de 1200 termes spécialisées des domaines de la zoologie, écologie, évolution, physiologie et d’autres sur votre appareil à […]
Last winter we filmed a scene for The Prime Radicals, during which Alanna the host visited me at the University of Ottawa to talk about cryptography and code breaking. Yeah, that’s right I’m about as cryptic as they get so that could make me somewhat of an expert. Check out their website here and have […]
The professional edit of my TEDx talk from last fall on the topic of Ayahuasca has now been posted on the TED Youtube channel. You may also watch it directly below here: Please let me know what you think!
The Season 2 episode of Finding Stuff Out on ‘Plants’ that features me as an expert guest has aired on TVOkids. Stay tuned to the TV to catch it on reruns or check out my clip below: . . . . . . .
On the 23rd of November 2013 I gave a TEDx talk in a conference put on by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa with the theme ‘Visions’. What better topic on which to present my experiences taking the extremely potent psychedelic brew called Ayahuasca with shamans in the jungles of Peru for our […]
Our episode of The Agenda with Steve Paikin from last Thursday, October 17 on the topic of the “Silencing of Science in Canada” is available to be watched for free from the iTunes store here (or on Youtube below). Have a gander at our conversation and let me know what you think. I thought it went […]
Last Thursday, October 17th, 2013 I was a guest panelist on The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO at 8 and 11pm. The topic for this discussion was be “Prime Minister Harper’s War on Science”. You may watch it live online at the show’s website above or the episodes are also available on iTunes as […]
La version app du Glossaire Biologique vient tout juste de recevoir une mise à jour de l’interface graphique, ce qui améliore l’expérience de l’utilisateur. La nouvelle esthétique à été créée par l’équipe à Fancy Boys et rend l’app un plaisir à utiliser. Vous pouvez trouver l’app sur le site du magasin iTunes ici pour télécharger […]
I was interviewed for this article featured in The McGill Daily: Last summer, a rally of over 2,000 researchers, scientists, and students gathered on Parliament Hill to protest a federal trend of scientific censorship that began when the Conservative party took control of the Federal government in 2006. For the protesters, the government had crossed […]
Over the past few centuries, universities have slowly shifted from offering degrees in a diversity of subjects and widely general studies to producing specialists today that are often incapable of relating the content or importance of their work to anyone outside of their immediate field. While modern academic institutions were flourishing in a time called […]
I have been invited to speak at this speaker series run by the Science Student’s Association at uOttawa on Thursday, March 7th 2013. I will be speaking after the renowned science communicator and TV personality, Dr. Joe Schwarcz. My talk will address the Science Communication needs of today’s undergraduate Science students. Please visit the Facebook […]
On Sept. 25, 2012, I was a participant in a panel discussion at the University of Ottawa, hosted by Alternatives Journal, on the topic of Defending Science in Canada. There was a lively conversation and a great turn out, with some interesting questions from the crowd towards the end. You may read the description […]
This week I travelled to Montreal to film another episode of Finding Stuff Out for TVOkids. This was my second time on this show, this time I was hanging out with host Harrison Houde and talking about Plants. The second season airs in January 2013 but you can still watch the episodes from season 1 […]
Last summer, I spent a day filming an episode of a new science show for kids, called Finding Stuff Out. This new series, hosted by Harrison Houde on TVO Kids, is a blog-style TV show in which Harrison answers questions he receives from kids on his website with the help of guest scientists. Next Friday, […]
You are invited to participate in a Focus Group on the book The Biology Undergraduate Student’s Guide to Success, recently published by Dr. Adam Oliver Brown and Nelson publications. This short manual was written in order to help undergraduate students of Biology to learn, to retain and to communicate their course material. Come to 250 […]
Maintenant disponible comme livre, imprimé par Nelson Publishing en version révisée.
Now available in paperback format from Nelson Publishing. Get your copy in English or in French at the University of Ottawa Bookstore!
Over much of 2009-2010, I was involved in the production of an episode of The Nature of Things on the psycho-therapeutic use of the highly potent psychedelic Amazonian plant mixture known as Ayahuasca. This documentary follows a Vancouver doctor Gabor Mate as he explores the use of this ancient jungle medicine for his skid-row patients […]
This past 13-16th of October, the annual conference for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario. These weekends are a carnival of seminars, concerts, networking and parties over 4 days and nights with the Who’s Who of the North American festival scene. I was involved as a stage hosting MC […]
artsScene Ottawa, a non-profit organization that aims to bridge the artistic and business communities in Ottawa for which I am a director of the board, was featured last month in the Glebe Report. Click here to read the article.
Last February 2011, I traveled to St. John’s, Newfoundland to give the Keynote Lecture at the Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference at Memorial University. During this lecture, I spoke on the need for academics to participate actively in the public discourse of science and drew upon some case study failures of scientific communication, including the propagation of pseudo-science […]
Maple Morris are traveling to the UK next week to put on a stage dance show with Morris Offspring at the Cecil Sharp House in London, followed by a week of performing at the Sidmouth Folk Festival in Devon. Must Come Down With Becky Price, Jackie Oates, Gavin Davenport, Matthew Keegan-Phipps and Debs Newbold A […]
Here is a nice video of one of my favourite Thames Valley International dances ever, written for our dear friend Steve Adams, who died in WTC1 on 9/11. It was performed as our show dance at Newfane, VT for the Marlboro Morris Ale in May 2011.
Apt613, the local Ottawa-Gatineau arts and culture online publication has started a new column showcasing interesting apartments around town. They have launched their series with a special profile on my apartment. Accompanied by some descriptive text on how and why the place came to be, there is a photo slideshow of the diggs. Please check […]
Le Glossaire des Termes Biologiques que j’ai crée pour les étudiant.e.s en biologie à l’Université d’Ottawa et maintenant disponible comme App pour les iPod, iPhone et iPad. Maintenant vous pouvez porter avec vous une liste de plus de 1200 termes spécialisées des domaines de la zoologie, écologie, évolution, physiologie et d’autres sur votre appareil à […]
I will be giving a seminar Wednesday morning (Jan. 19) at the University of Ottawa for the Centre of University Teaching, as part of their lecture series on innovative practices in teaching. I will be talking about the creation of my online French-language glossary of biological terms and related topics. The lecture will be from […]
Next week, I will be traveling to St. John’s, Newfoundland to speak at the Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference at Memorial University. I will be participating in a Panel discussion on Public Speaking as well as closing down the conference with a Keynote talk on the role of Communication as the bridge between Academia and Society. The […]
Our episode for The Nature of Things entitled Strange Brew: An End of Addiction is now in the last stages of post-production and will hit the airwaves soon on CBC Television. In the context of making the best documentary possible, we have decided to place greater emphasis on the main characters and storyline as it […]
This past weekend in Ottawa, over 700 musicians and festival organizers met in downtown Ottawa for 4 days of non-stop music, networking and festivities as part of the annual conference for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals. I participated in round table discussions with the purpose of sharing information across festival organizational structures in order […]
I will be hosting North America’s longest standing and most decorated science and nature program in January 2011, with an episode on addictions and the use of the Amazonian psychaedelic brew Ayahuasca in the treatment of addiction patients. Stay tuned for more information and clips as the show comes closer to the airdate. We are […]
The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals annual conference is a 4-day long music and networking extravaganza. Held this year again at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Ottawa from the 14-17th of October, I will be attending this conference as a delegate representing the Ottawa Folk Festival, as well as participating as a panelist in […]
I grew up spending most of my spare time hanging out backstage at concerts, festivals and camps devoted to folk music and dance throughout the 70s and 80s. This was largely due to my father’s incessant gigging schedule with The Friends of Fiddler’s Green (pictured left in their heyday) and later as a participant myself […]
I have been elected to the Board of Directors of the Ottawa chapter of ArtsScene. This is a non-profit initiative that brings together young business and creative professionals (ages 18-40) through the arts, culture and creative industries. artsScene is a national initiative made possible by Business for the Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering […]
I am just back from 3 weeks in Europe, having gone for an IJAS conference in Provence. From Aix, I revisited my old stomping grounds in Nice for a weekend and had fantastic jaunts in Paris and London, as well as a great week in Cornwall, on the British Riviera, visiting family. Check out some […]
The initial line-up for this year’s Ottawa Folk Festival was just announced at the media release held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Ottawa this morning. The festival will be held from the 13-15 of August at Britannia Park and will be hosting the following acts, among several other yet to be announced: The […]
I have recently joined the Board of Directors for the Ottawa ArtsScene organization, a group dedicated to promoting Ottawa’s vibrant and diverse arts community, as well as bridging the link between the Arts and Business. Over the course of the calendar year we will be hosting a number of artistic events that will allow you […]
Dr. Brown is just back from a gruelling but fantastic trip to Tarapoto, Peru for the filming of the upcoming Nature of Things episode on Amazonian plant medicine and Ayahuasca. We had an amazing time filming in the tropical forests, swinging on vines and braving raging rivers! This is not to mention the tremendously potent […]
In 2009, in collaboration with Justin Morrison, Stefan Read and Tom Kruskal, I was involved in elaborating a Morris Dance intensive short course at Pinewoods Music and Dance Camp in Massachusetts, run by the Country Dance and Song Society of America (CDSS). The goals of this course were to provide an in-depth analytical look at […]
I have been a member of TVI Morris Dancing team since I was around 8 years old. This international consortium of fine Morris Dancers has garnered much acclaim for their ability to pull off high quality dance performances with seemingly no practice. Follow the enigma that is TVI here.
I have been elected onto the Board of Directors for the Ottawa Folk Festival. This is an exciting time for this international music and dance festival with the recent hiring of a new Festival Director (Dylan Griffith) and General Manager (Ana Miura) and I am thrilled to be a part of it. The OFF hosts […]
In a similar fruiting architecture as cranberry, strawberry (Fragaria vesca) plants produce several fruit per reproductive stem and therefore face similar selection pressures in requiring to balance the needs for immediate reproduction and long-term growth and survival. We studied the production of fruit in strawberry plants as it relates to levels of pollination and flower […]
The perrenial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is an important agricultural crop in North America, particularly in New England, British Columbia and Quebec. Due to the fact that the reproductive stems produce more flowers than ever develop into fruit, farmers are constantly looking for ways to increase their yield, often resorting to expensive additions of chemical fertilizers […]
