UNews - Alexandra Tetarenko

Canada Foundation for Innovation invests in research infrastructure for major projects

caroline.zentner — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 20:28:29 +0000

Two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge physicists are among the scientists in a Canada-wide collaboration focused on gravitational-wave (GW) astrophysics that has received infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Dr. Alexandra Tetarenko

The Government of Canada announced $552 million to provide researchers with the high-impact equipment they need for innovation. The funding supports 92 research infrastructure projects at 32 post-secondary institutions, including work from ULethbridge's Dr. Saurya Das, a theoretical physicist, and Dr. Alex Tetarenko, an astrophysicist.

ULethbridge is part of GRAIN (GRavitational wave Astrophysics Infrastructure Network), which also includes the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Université de Montréal, Bishop’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba. GRAIN will contribute to two international mega-projects that will unveil distant black holes and enable precise tests of theories that push the boundaries of physics.

Gravitational-wave astrophysics is the study of ripples in spacetime generated when massive objects like black holes collide. Studying these ripples gives scientists insights into the structure and dynamics of the fabric of the universe.

Dr. Saurya Das

Gravitational waves are detected by LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), which consists of two U.S.-based detectors, and LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), a European Space Agency mission to build an observatory in space. As a space-based detector with three satellites and million-kilometre-long arms, LISA will observe low-frequency gravitational waves from events that ground-based detectors like LIGO can’t see, such as mergers of super-massive black holes and signals from the early Universe. GRAIN will ensure Canadian researchers have guaranteed access to LISA data once the mission launches. This access will enable scientists to test general relativity in new regimes and explore potential new physics beyond Einstein’s theory.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge plays a pivotal support role in ensuring Canada’s software readiness,” says Das, a theoretical physicist in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at ULethbridge. “My colleague, Dr. Tetarenko, and I will help develop GRAIN’s software and participate in data analysis, as well as coordinate with our national partners to obtain the high-performance computing resources we need.”

They’re also looking at hiring a developer to build and maintain the interface between Canada’s Arbutus supercomputing cluster and a new Canadian LISA data centre.

“By combining innovative hardware, sophisticated software and strong international partnerships with the European Space Agency, GRAIN will ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of gravitational-wave astronomy,” says Das.

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Canada Research Chairs at forefront of critical studies

caroline.zentner — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:35:05 +0000

Dr. Alex Tetarenko, an astrophysicist in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, has been named a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Black Hole Astrophysics, and Dr. Amy Mack (BA ’13, MA ’16), assistant professor in the Department of New Media, has been named a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Digital Extremism.

The recent announcement by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, was part of $690 million invested in science and research funding across Canada. Of that amount, $198 million will support 259 new and renewed CRCs like Tetarenko and Mack.

In addition to being named Canada Research Chairs, the pair will also receive funding for infrastructure through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

“This recognition reflects the high calibre of research taking place at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president research. “These Canada Research Chair appointments honour the achievements of Dr. Tetarenko and Dr. Mack and illustrate ULethbridge’s commitment to advancing knowledge and understanding in a broad range of fields from astrophysics to new media.”

Dr. Alex Tetarenko studies the physics of black holes.

Tetarenko is an internationally recognized researcher in high-energy astrophysics. She has built her research program by using innovative methodologies to investigate black holes.

“My research focuses on developing creative new ways to study jets of material launched from stellar-mass black holes in our galaxy and extract vital new information about black-hole physics,” says Tetarenko. “This program will further enhance the growth of the Canadian astronomy talent pool by training postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduates, and have a wide-reaching impact in Canada and internationally.”

Tetarenko will receive $71,233 from the JELF for high-performance computing resources needed for her research lab.

Dr. Amy Mack investigates anti-democratic movements.

Mack, an internationally recognized researcher, speaker and writer in critical far-right studies and anthropology, uses an anti-fascist framework to research reactionary, anti-democratic movements. She leads several national research projects focused on the relationship between social media, disinformation and extremism. These projects explore how hate-based ideologies circulate online and manifest offine. She works closely with federal and municipal governments, frontline practitioners and communities to support efforts to counter hate, bias and extremism in southern Alberta. Her Countering Digital Extremism Lab, which provides research and skill-building opportunities for students and faculty, translates this academic knowledge into public-facing outputs that use new media technologies like podcasts, documentaries and social media campaigns.

“In an era of democratic backsliding and rising authoritarianism, we need to ensure that academic knowledge about the far right and other reactionary, anti-democratic movements is used effectively by stakeholders to disrupt radicalization and promote trust and social cohesion in our communities. This needs to be a whole-of-society approach that includes policy makers, tech companies, practitioners, educators, community advocates and the public,” says Mack.

Mack will receive $123,435 through JELF to set up her research lab.

Broad areas of research awarded federal funding

caroline.zentner — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 21:03:34 +0000

A spectrum of research projects at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge have been awarded nearly $2.6 million in federal funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

The funding is part of $693.8 million for several NSERC research competitions recently announced on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

“This investment in ULethbridge research activities speaks to the excellence and nationally competitive research we do — everything from mapping fuels for wildland fires to bee behaviour and the dynamics of black holes,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president research. “Our researchers investigate topics that impact the ways we understand the world around us and the complex influences and interconnectedness of the natural environment, agriculture and food security, and deep space phenomena.”

In addition, Dr. Monique Giroux had her Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Métis Music renewed for $500,000 through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

In all, 14 ULethbridge projects are receiving funding support from NSERC through the Discovery Grant and Discovery Development Grant programs. Among them are the following projects:

Dr. Laura Chasmer, a professor in the Department of Geography & Environment, will use novel Earth observation and geospatial data to examine how variations in vegetation ecosystems, both in space and in time, may enhance and reduce wildfires in Western Canada. The research program, which will include Indigenous land managers and knowledge keepers, will develop new ways of understanding fire hazards and recommendations for ecosystem management to lessen the impact of fire and improve the resilience of ecosystems and communities.
Dr. Sergio Pellis, Department of Neuroscience, will investigate the role of rough-and-tumble play or play-fighting in the development of cognitive and social skills in non-human mammals. Based on preliminary findings, Pellis hypothesizes that species with more complex social systems that require them to negotiate more varied relationships will have patterns of play that train youngsters for the social skills they’ll need as adults.

Discovery Grants

The funding listed for the following projects is over five years:

Dr. Theresa Burg, Biological Sciences — Evolution of High Latitude Birds ($200,000)
Dr. Shelley Hoover, Biological Sciences — Interactions between social bee behaviour and health ($190,000)
Dr. Steve Wiseman, Biological Sciences — Toxicant Induced Dysregulation of Oocyte Maturation ($235,000)
Dr. Nehal Thakor, Chemistry & Biochemistry — Regulation of mRNA Translation During Cellular Stress and Apoptosis ($200,000)
Dr. Laura Chasmer, Geography & Environment — Spatio-temporal variations in wildland fire fuel connectivity and behaviour using multi-data analytics ($275,000)
Dr. Joy Morris, Mathematics & Computer Science — Unexpected Symmetries of Graphs ($135,000)
Dr. David Euston, Neuroscience — Risk, Reinforcement Schedules, and Dopamine ($165,000)
Dr. Sergio Pellis, Neuroscience — Social play, the prefrontal cortex and the development of socio-cognitive skills ($275,000)
Dr. Alexandra Tetarenko, Physics & Astronomy — Unravelling how black holes power explosive outflows ($145,000)
Dr. Stephanus Henzi, Psychology — Contingency and Specificity in the Structure and Dynamics of Social Behaviour in Baboons and Vervet Monkeys ($235,000)
Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca, Psychology — Mechanisms and evolution of material culture in primates: Does object play facilitate tool use? ($268,690)
Dr. Jamal Mansour, Psychology — Measuring cognitive processes that predict eyewitness identification performance ($165,000)

Discovery Development Grants

The funding listed for the following projects is over two years:

Dr. Philip Bonaventure, Geography & Environment — Climatic, geomorphic and ecosystem-driven multi-scale permafrost modelling and testing ($40,0000)
Dr. David Morris, Mathematics & Computer Science — Arithmetic groups, orderability, bounded generation and automorphisms ($40,000)

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

UNews - Alexandra Tetarenko

Canada Foundation for Innovation invests in research infrastructure for major projects

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New ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Canada Research Chairs at forefront of critical studies

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Broad areas of research awarded federal funding

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New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Canada Research Chairs at forefront of critical studies