Exploring the power of research at the 2025 Lister Science Chats
On May 2, 2025, over 60 people gathered in the John Abbott College Library for the Lister Science Chats, where four Macdonald Campus graduate students presented their research and shared how past events as well as the discoveries, sometimes unintentional, and techniques of previous scientists made their work possible.
Held by the Lister Family Engaged Science Initiative, in collaboration with John Abbott College, the annual Lister Science Chats connect students from John Abbott College and members of McGill University's Macdonald Campus community with graduate researchers from McGill University's Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
This event was part of the 20th edition of 24 Hours of Science, a day-long event filled with science and technology activities for everyone, which saw over 400 activities taking place throughout Quebec.
Learn more about the 2025 presenters and their research below.
Unarchiving the world of insect research
Samantha Dizon, M.Sc. student, Department of Natural Resource Sciences
Insects, the most diverse group of organisms in the world, are preserved in collections and natural history museums, which serve as invaluable resources for research. These institutions are foundational to advancing our knowledge of the role insects play in our environment and society.
Master's student Samantha Dizon presented on the work being conducted at the Lyman Entomological Museum and how a research-based guide can help local cranberry farmers better understand the impacts of their agricultural practices on the diversity of our native pollinators.
Making wheat more resilient to climate change
Deniz Dutton, M.Sc. student, Department of Natural Resource Sciences
The soil is responsible for many ecosystem services, including water retention and filtration, nutrient cycling, and supporting plant life. The ability of the soil to provide these services is dependent on the abundance, diversity, and activity of the microbial communities that reside within it, which is in turn influenced by the diversity and composition of the aboveground plant community.
Master's student Deniz Dutton illustrated the exciting opportunities available to change agricultural management practices to increase diversity above and belowground, working with nature rather than against it.
The importance of cultural safety in dietetics
Caroline Hunziker, M.Sc. student, School of Human Nutrition
Master's student Caroline Hunziker explored the importance of cultural safety in the dietetics profession, focusing on improving the healthcare experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Cultural safety can be defined as the outcome of Indigenous Peoples feeling respected during healthcare interactions. Hunziker provided a historical overview of colonial legacies in dietetics and why cultural safety education matters.
Sub-saharan somnolence: avoiding immunity
Larsen Iorgovits, MSc student, Institute of Parasitology
African sleeping sickness is a neglected tropical disease caused by the microscopic parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes significant health and economic suffering across many African countries.
Master's student Larsen Iorgovits introduced the history of African trypanosomiasis, how these parasites "win" against our immune systems through antigen switching, and global efforts to mitigate the parasite’s spread. He also shared his own research on uncovering protein networks tied to antigen switching and their impact on parasite survival.