Greetings,,

We hope this semester is wrapping up nicely for you, and hope that you’ll join us in July for our Annual Community Meeting. 

The LinkedIn Group is back! An issue has been resolved which prevented some users from accessing the Canadian Astroparticle Physics LinkedIn Group. All previous members of the Group can now access it, and new members may request access. The value of this virtual networking space is entirely dependent on people using it. If you’re posting something related to your research, or have a question or something to share with the community, please consider adding a post in the Group. 

The McDonald Institute Highly Qualified Personnel Advisory Committee (HQPAC) is seeking engaged individuals to serve on the committee. Representatives are needed from several institutions, including UofT, UofA, UdeM, Laurentian, Sherbrooke, SFU, and Victoria, but anyone interested in participating is encouraged to do so and will only serve to better represent our broad community. The time commitment is minimal, only a few hours a month to attend monthly meetings and move projects along, and members are recognized with a small honorarium and a modest professional development allowance. Visit the HQPAC website for more information.

McDonald Institute Seminars: 

April 29, 2:30 - 3:30 PM ET

Antoine Kouchner (AstroParticule et Cosmologie)

“Deep-Sea Neutrino Telescopes: From ANTARES Legacy to KM3NeT Discovery Potential”

In person at Queen’s University: Stirling Hall, Rm 501

Or virtually on YouTube.

The 2026 Canadian Astroparticle Physics Community Annual Meeting will be held in Kingston, Ontario, from July 27-29.

This year’s HQP-led focus is intended to provide a forum for graduate and postdoctoral fellows to present their specific research contributions in the themes of dark matter, neutrinos, multi-messenger astronomy, and astroparticle theory & computation. HQP will also be encouraged to discuss their own insights about the implications of their work for the field at large and for practical application outside the field.

The first day of the meeting will provide a series of leadership-development workshops for HQP, including a unique hands-on exercise in relational thinking based on an Indigenous makers’ practice. The next two days will feature research presentations, keynote talks, panels, and social events.

If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting, join us for the HQP Town Hall on Monday, May 4th, at 2:00 PM ET for a special Annual Meeting Q&A. 

Registration and abstract submissions are now open.

Summer Undergraduate Information and Technology Experience (SUITE 2026)

This three-day program provides introductory lectures and workshops for incoming summer undergraduate research assistants and new master's students on various tools they need for physics research. It will be held from May 5-7th, 2026, from 9 am to 4 pm (EST). In-person sessions will be held at Queen’s University (Stirling Hall 501), in Kingston, ON, and will be broadcast over Zoom for remote participants. No prior knowledge is required for participants to attend.

Faculty should encourage their summer students to sign up for this workshop.

The link to register, as well as the timetable, can be found at: https://indico.global/event/17548/

SNOLAB Underground Science Institute (SuSi)

The SNOLAB Underground Science Institute (SuSi) Lecture Programme is a training and development initiative focused on academic lectures and activities delivered by leading experts in their fields. In addition to these lectures, participants will have access to professional development opportunities. Over the years, topics have included the dark cosmos, neutrino science, and quantum technology, among others. The program launched in 2024 and had a very successful kickoff year. SNOLAB is excited to continue the program for a third year and welcome participants to SNOLAB!

For more information, or to register: https://indico.snolab.ca/event/48/

The 2026 Tri-Institute Summer School on Elementary Particles (TRISEP)

TRISEP is an international summer school organized jointly by Perimeter Institute, SNOLAB, and TRIUMF, Canada's laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. TRISEP will feature lectures by leading experts in the fields of particle physics and particle astrophysics (broadly defined) and is designed to be very interactive with ample time for questions, discussions and interaction with the speakers. The school is intended for graduate students of all levels, both theorists and experimentalists, preferably with some knowledge of quantum field theory.

Registration and Call for Abstracts both close April 28, 2026.

https://events.perimeterinstitute.ca/event/2050/ 

Light Dark World comes to Canada, July 28-31

The eleventh annual Light Dark World International Forum is taking place from July 28-31 at Carleton University in Ottawa. This event will cover recent progress on light gauge bosons, light scalars, light dark matter candidates (axions, light sterile neutrinos), and dark energy fields. 

Abstract submission deadline is May 15, 2026.

For more information, please visit the Indico site.

Mayuko Yamashita awarded new Hideki Yukawa Chair in Theoretical Physics

Perimeter Institute Research Faculty member Mayuko Yamashita has been named The Hideki Yukawa Chair in Theoretical Physics, thanks to $1.5 million gift from an anonymous donor. The funding, a six-year commitment, will be matched by Perimeter founder Mike Lazaridis as part of the expanding program to bolster exceptional researchers early in their careers. The position is named for Hideki Yukawa, a Japanese theoretical physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 for his prediction of the existence of mesons on the basis of theoretical work on nuclear forces.

https://perimeterinstitute.ca/news/mayuko-yamashita-awarded-new-hideki-yukawa-chair-theoretical-physics

The passing of Bruce Cleveland

The Institute received news last week that Dr. Bruce Cleveland died at a hospital in Sudbury at the age of 88. His formal retirement from his role at SNOLAB in late 2024 capped a remarkable research career spanning the earliest stages of neutrino detection at the Homestake, to the SNO and SAGE collaborations that answered key questions about solar neutrinos. His later interests included work on detecting WIMPs and neutrinoless double beta decay (see Dr. Stephen Sekula’s excellent career synopsis).

“As a founder of astroparticle physics, Dr. Bruce Cleveland shaped the field in ways that continue to resonate across the high-energy physics community,” said Dr. Jodi Cooley, Executive Director, SNOLAB. “He was also a mentor and guiding light to many at SNOLAB, and we remain profoundly grateful for his leadership and impact.”

“Bruce was a world expert on low radioactivity experiments and contributed significantly to all of the experiments on which he worked.” expresses Dr. Art McDonald, “He contributed to the SNO experiment broadly in this area and was a leader in the development of the SNOLAB low radioactivity measurement facility. Bruce was a wonderful, kind, helpful individual for all who worked with him and he will be missed”

Dr. Cleveland’s family has scheduled a Memorial Gathering in Sudbury on July 11, 2026 at Jackson Barnard Funeral Home. His daughter, Dr. Maria Cleveland, is a postdoctoral fellow in chemistry at Queen’s University. Friends and colleagues of Dr. Cleveland may share memories or light a virtual candle on the online obituary. 

The Advancing I-EDI Award: OPEN

The McDonald Institute is pleased to relaunch the Advancing Indigenization - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (I-EDI) Fund for Astroparticle Physics, supporting initiatives that strengthen equitable training environments and research cultures across astroparticle physics and related disciplines.

The award prioritizes activities that expand I-EDI action in Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) training and research environments through five funding streams:

• Stream 1 (up to $1,000): Seed funding for new initiatives that build EDII capacity in labs, research groups, and departments, including pilot programs, training activities, or events.
• Stream 2 (up to $2,500): Support funding for existing initiatives that advance EDII practice in the field.
• Stream 3 (up to $2,500): Support for faculty actively advancing equity goals using the DEAP Tool for Researchers (or an equivalent assessment framework). Advising support is available.

New for Round 2 (2026):

• Stream 4 (up to $5,000): Seed funding to advance community partnerships that build relationships with equity-deserving groups, create pathways into physics degrees, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations that strengthen long-term participation and retention in astroparticle physics.
• Stream 5 (up to $12,000): Seeding support for research projects that examine and advance understandings of equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenization, anti-racism, and accessibility (EDIIAA) in astroparticle physics, including research, evaluation, and knowledge mobilization activities.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with internal adjudication occurring at the end of each month until available funds are fully allocated. 

Students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, researchers, and faculty across the network are encouraged to apply. Learn more about eligibility, timelines, and application details at: https://mcdonaldinstitute.ca/funding-opportunities/the-edii-fund/

Please reach out to Alex Pedersen (alexandra.pedersen@mcdonaldinstitute.ca) with any questions.

Visiting Scientist Program - Open

The Visiting Scientist Program has been revamped and is now open to new applications. The program provides flexible cost-reimbursement support to full-time, post-PhD astroparticle physics researchers to work with new collaborators in Canada and internationally. The program also provides support for international colleagues' visits to Canada. Postdoctoral Fellows are eligible for support between 2-12 weeks duration. Faculty and Staff Scientists are eligible for up to 52 weeks. The program has been specifically designed to reduce financial barriers for high-value exchanges/visits that are not part of regular sabbatical leaves, or may not be eligible for full funding support from regular sources. It will not support conference registrations or conference travel. Maximum reimbursements are $16,000 CDN, and consist of travel support, capped accommodation supports, and city-specific capped cost-of-living per diems addressing differential costs for food, transit, and utilities. Full details at https://mcdonaldinstitute.ca/funding-opportunities/visiting-scientist-exchange/

Graduate Student Exchange Program - Open

The Graduate Student Exchange Program is now open to new applications. The program provides flexible cost-reimbursement support to master's and doctoral students in astroparticle physics to work with new collaborators in Canada or internationally. Students are eligible for support between 1-12 weeks’ duration. The program is designed to reduce barriers for supervisors to support their students’ high-value working exchanges/visits. The program will not support conference registrations or conference travel. Maximum reimbursements are $8,000 CDN, and consist of travel support, capped accommodation supports, and city-specific capped cost-of-living per diems addressing differential costs for food, transit, and utilities. Full details at https://mcdonaldinstitute.ca/funding-opportunities/graduate-student-exchange/



Join the Astroparticle Physics Community of Practice for I-EDIAA

We are launching a new Community of Practice (CoP) for researchers and trainee leaders interested in applying the DEAP Tool for Researchers (https://mcdonaldinstitute.ca/deap-tool-for-researchers/) in real research settings across Canada’s astroparticle physics network. This peer-learning group will create a practical space to share experiences, challenges, and emerging practices. The purpose of this group is to support goal-setting and action planning, and learn from one another about strengthening inclusive lab culture, mentorship, supervision, and research environments. Each meeting will feature a guest speaker, short reading, or case study, with dedicated time to reflect, share experiences, and connect insights back to the DEAP Tool to support progress within participants’ own research contexts.



Whether you are new to the DEAP Tool or already using it in your research group, we welcome participants who are interested in collaborative learning, applied problem-solving, and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Those interested are encouraged to register, with the date and time of the first meeting to be scheduled in February based on participant availability: Astroparticle Physics Community of Practice for I-EDIAA – Fill out form

Our newsletter provides the astroparticle physics community with updates, programs, and opportunities, and we want to help share your story! We invite all members of the community to contribute to this newsletter.



The McDonald Institute at Queen’s University is situated in the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee First Nations. The Institute is part of a national network of institutions and research centres which operate in other traditional Indigenous territories. Visit www.whose.land to learn about the traditional territories where astroparticle physicists are grateful to live and work across Canada.



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