A look at Artificial Intelligence – Malika Logossou, Managing Editor A few months ago, I wrote a piece on Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, examining whether they reduce cognitive skills and how this extends to students and adults. Drawing from Nandini Asavari Bharadwaj’s expertise, a PhD candidate in McGill’s Department of[Read More…]
Articles by Sarah McDonald
Meet your prof: Siva Nadarajah
What do engineers actually do? They are often described as problem-solvers, scientists, and inventors, but even with this framing, what they do on a day-to-day basis is not always obvious. In an attempt to dispel this mystery, The Tribune sat down with Mechanical Engineering professor Siva Nadarajah, who explained his[Read More…]
From fauna to flora: The benefits of switching to plant-based protein
Vegetarianism has been on the rise for years; in 2024, 2.3 million Canadians self-identified as vegetarian, a 176 per cent increase from 2015. Several factors contribute to the marked rise, including vegetarianism’s perceived benefits for both individual consumers and the environment. But how beneficial is it really? McGill Professor of[Read More…]
Medical revision: Putting women in the narrative
To be a woman is to live within systems designed without your body in mind. Whether or not this divide is felt or acknowledged is a far more personal question, but regardless, the reality remains: The marginalization of women is fundamentally ingrained in Western society. From endless bathroom queues to[Read More…]
Meet your prof: Nikolas Provatas
Despite being friends with several physics majors, when discussions of gravity and inertia inevitably shift into abstract theory, I can’t help but wonder, what is physics all about, anyway? If you’re studying science or engineering here at McGill—or just interested in the mysterious inner workings of physics overall—there’s a pretty[Read More…]
Vroom! Reintroducing McGill Formula Electric
If you’ve walked through the McConnell Engineering Building, you may have wondered why on earth a racecar sits in the centre of the lobby. It seems vaguely fitting—after all, it is the engineering building—but the central questions remain: Who built it, and why? The answer: McGill Formula Electric (MFE). MFE[Read More…]
Campus Conversations: Community
A love letter to the librarySarah McDonald, Science & Technology Editor If you’d have told me when I first got to McGill that my closest friendships would be forged in a library, there is no way I would have believed you, not even a little bit. Surely I’d make friends[Read More…]
A spooky sitcom season
Do you fundamentally refuse to be scared out of your skin for so-called ‘entertainment’ this Halloween season? Have you seen The Nightmare Before Christmas one too many times? Yes and yes again? That’s what I thought. But don’t worry; the Halloween season has more to offer than inspiration for your[Read More…]
Breast cancer clarified: Addressing medical advances and common misconceptions
Breast cancer is far more common than many people realize; in 2024, breast cancer accounted for 25 per cent of the new cancer cases in Canadian women. While breast cancer survival rates have improved drastically over time, researchers continue to study the disease to improve patient outcomes. One such researcher[Read More…]
I promise I’m not a first-year
Last week someone’s jaw dropped when they learned that I’m in third year. Suddenly they wanted to know everything about me: What I’m studying, where I’m from, and if I’m sure I’ve been at McGill for two full years already. What I find startling is that whenever people are floored[Read More…]
Ships, spills, and genetic shifts: How oil pollution changes Arctic birds’ DNA
The effects of climate change are increasingly visible around the world, but nowhere are these impacts more observable than in the Arctic. The region’s temperature is rising at over two times the global average—a phenomenon that has devastating impacts on natural ecosystems. As the ice melts, it destroys natural habitats,[Read More…]
Dice: The statistician’s Roman Empire
It’s a rainy Wednesday night in 50 BC, and you’re playing Yahtzee against Julius Caesar. You have four 4s, one 6, and one roll left. You have a decision to make: Do you risk it and try to get a Yahtzee, or settle for a fairly impressive four-of-a-kind? It turns[Read More…]
Freshman science requirements got you down? We got you covered
CHEM 110. MATH 140. BIOL 111. PHYS 101. Every McGill science student will recognize these course codes in an instant; they are none other than the freshman science program course requirements. Whether it is your very first semester at McGill, or you are getting those last few credits of your[Read More…]
Bad balance? Blame your concussion
Concussions: Either you have had one, or you know someone who has. These injuries are incredibly common—particularly in high-contact sports such as football, hockey, and rugby—and they can leave lasting, debilitating impacts. Yet, despite their dangers, concussions are hard to objectively identify by a third party, making them difficult for[Read More…]
Do we really choose our groceries, or does habit choose for us?
How do we decide what to buy when we go grocery shopping? Why do we purchase the same items time and time again? Do we really choose our groceries, or do we pick what we buy based on habit alone? Hiroshi Mamiya, a professor in McGill’s Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics,[Read More…]
What makes a runnable city?
Curating a culture of active living is central to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainability and Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 3, healthy living, and SDG 13, climate action. Active living is a lifestyle that promotes physical activity as an integral part of daily life—whether it be cycling to work or[Read More…]
How simulation learning is shaping inclusive healthcare
Simulations are becoming a more and more common training method for medical students. In a typical simulation, students resolve a medical case presented by an actor, and then participate in debriefing sessions led by a supervisor to analyze and critically review their experience and performance. This process commonly follows the[Read More…]
Confronting anti-Black racism in Canada’s healthcare system
With a national identity built upon the idea of being a cultural “melting pot,” racism often gets swept under the rug in Canada. Despite curating this idealized image of inclusivity, racism is ingrained in the nation’s history and institutions, including the Canadian medical system. Khandideh Williams, a PhD Candidate in[Read More…]
Perfectionism: A blessing or a curse?
At first glance, being a perfectionist may seem like an advantage in a world where productivity and achievement are so highly valued. As a student, what could possibly be better than having the drive to ensure everything you do is done perfectly? As it turns out, recent research shows that[Read More…]
Think you know how your friends feel? Think again
Can you always accurately tell how your friends are feeling? What about the stranger across from you on the metro? Can you differentiate between someone smiling out of happiness, excitement, or contentment? If you think “yes,” recent research may come as a surprise. Alexandrija Zikic, a graduate psychology student working[Read More…]
Towards equity: 2SLGBTQIA+ representation in genetic counselling education
Genetic counselling is a growing field that aims to use family history and DNA testing to help families that may be at high risk for having children with birth defects and genetic disorders, as well as assess risk factors for inherited conditions. While innovations in genetic testing present new horizons[Read More…]
Steering public transport forward with public policy
The successful development of sustainable public transportation is key in the global fight against climate change, due to its potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate land-use effects. On average, personal vehicles produce one pound of carbon dioxide per passenger mile, while public buses, if assumed to be operating[Read More…]
Turning pollution into power: McGill’s green energy innovation
At the First Earth Summit in 1972, the world set out guidelines to help preserve the Earth and prevent climate change. Since then, climate change has gained a prominent place in the global political agenda and has remained a matter of international importance for decades. But what has changed since[Read More…]
How environmental enrichment protects emotional well-being
Globally, over 301 million people live with anxiety disorders, making it the most common group of mental disorders. According to the World Health Organization, as few as 27 per cent of patients receive any treatment, a situation researchers are currently making significant efforts to remedy. One such researcher is Randriely[Read More…]