Faculty of Science

As one of only three female vice-presidents appointed within the NRC in the organization’s more than 100-year history, Dr. Lefebvre has been a keen and effective champion for issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion. She is, for example, the current NRC co-champion for Women in STEM. During her career in the federal civil service, Dr. Lefebvre has been formally recognized with honours including the Leadership and Creative Management Award, the People Management Excellence Award and the Five Eyes International Award.

Dr. Julie Lefebvre is one of the most respected and influential scientists in the Canadian civil service. She has built her career at the intersection of our society’s most challenging technological issues and Canada’s national interests and security.

A fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, John Bell received the Robert L. Noble Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research from the Canadian Cancer Society in 2011, a year after earning the Dr. J. David Grimes Career Achievement Award from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. In 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal as well as McMaster’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Drs. Berlinsky and Kallin have also made exceptional contributions to their field as a team working in quantum matter theory. They have explored quantum matter – such as metals, superconductors and magnets – and their pioneering contributions to quantum materials include elucidating the nature of unconventional electron pairing and understanding its physical implications in high-temperature superconductors. They have made remarkable progress in the study of topological superconductors and their joint investigations have enriched our understanding of the behaviours of electronic spins subject to frustrated interactions. Their research has also illuminated the mechanisms behind exotic quantum states called quantum spin liquids, which are widely regarded as one of the “holy grails” of modern quantum matter research.

Professor Juliet Daniel is a Cancer Biologist and is currently the Strategic Advisor to the President for the Canada Caribbean Institute (CCI) at McMaster University after a 4-year term as Associate Dean of Research & External Relations in the Faculty of Science.  Dr. Daniel received her primary and secondary education in Barbados before moving to Canada. She received her BSc from Queen’s University and her PhD from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Daniel conducted Postdoctoral Fellowships in Tennessee at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Vanderbilt University,  before joining McMaster as an Assistant Professor in 1999.

Prof. Daniel cloned and named a new transcription factor Kaiso that plays a crucial role in cancer and normal human development. Her team is currently elucidating the molecular/genetic causes of the disparities in incidence and poor outcomes of triple negative breast cancer in Black women. In recognition of her research and community service, Prof. Daniel has received several awards including the inaugural Canadian Cancer Society Inclusive Excellence Award, a Barbados Gold Crown of Merit, an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of the West Indies – Cave Hill, a UWI Vice Chancellor’s Award, and a WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award among many others.

Over the past 25 years, Professor Daniel has been a passionate advocate, mentor and role model for Women in Science and Engineering and for Black students and youth whose potential contributions to Science and Engineering have not been fully realized in Canada and beyond. In 2020, she co-founded the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN).

Over his time at McMaster University, Ahmed has distinguished himself as a dedicated and principled student leader. As a student representative on the McMaster University Senate, Ahmed played a vital role in shaping university policy and advocating for student needs. His leadership extended across various senate committees in addition to the Committee for Recommending a President, where he ensured student perspectives were front and centre. Through these roles, he consistently advocated for policies that reflected the diverse needs of the student body. He also co-led the launch of a study examining students’ perceptions of academic workload, aiming to foster healthier and more sustainable learning environments. Beyond university governance, Ahmed volunteers at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and is one of the founders of the McMaster Sudanese Students Association, an MSU club which was recognized with the First-Year Club of the Year Award. For Ahmed, leadership has meant not only representing others, but also having the courage to speak up when voices are unheard. 

A member of the McMaster women’s football team for four years, Olivia Beausoleil is a Métis student from the Georgian Bay community who was co–president and co-founder of McMaster’s Indigenous Student-Athlete Council (ISAC). There, she fostered cultural connection and empowerment through initiatives such as land-based programming and collaboration with the Indigenous community. Olivia also served as community learning coordinator with the McMaster Indigenous Health Movement and, as a Kinesiology student, volunteered as a student field therapist. In the research setting, she contributed to the Community of Practice lab focused on inclusive physical literacy while also assisting with McMaster Physical Literacy for All Youth (MacPLAY). 

Throughout his undergraduate journey, Kevin Ireland strived to strike a balance between academics and athletics and constantly inspired others to do the same. As a four-year veteran and the latest co-captain of the varsity swim team, Kevin worked tirelessly to grow the Athletics & Recreation community at McMaster. Kevin helped raise thousands of dollars for McMaster’s varsity programs, recruited and welcomed several incoming McMaster athletes from around the world, and gave back to the greater Hamilton community by organizing high school swim competitions at the McMaster pool.

When he wasn’t at DBAC, Kevin was committed to achieving academic excellence. Graduating from the Honours Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour program (B.Sc.) with a 12.0 grade-point average, Kevin has a deep passion for science and loved sharing his knowledge with his peers. In his third year at McMaster, Kevin was an individual mentor for second-year students in PNB and provided valuable insight into the art of writing scientific papers. In his fourth year, Kevin joined the Milliken Lab and helped advance research in visual attention under the guidance of Dr. Bruce Milliken. Kevin is currently pursuing a medical degree (M.D.) at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University.