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On Campus

For the first time in the team’s history, the Ottawa REDBLACKS held their training camp outside the capital, landing at Richardson Stadium for their 2025 pre-season prep. It’s a fitting choice: with its recent upgrades and the addition of the state-of-the-art Lang Pavilion, Richardson has become one of the premier high-performance facilities in Canadian university sports.

• WHAT: Ottawa REDBLACKS Training Camp
• WHEN: Pre-season 2025   
• WHERE: Richardson Stadium
• HOW: Facilities funded by 300+ alumni donors through the Richardson Stadium revitalization project

����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s is 6th in the  world, 1st in Canada in global rankings

����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s University has once again earned a place among the world’s top universities for its contributions to advancing the (SDGs). In the , ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s was ranked sixth globally out of more than 2,500 institutions across 130 countries, and has reclaimed its position as the top-ranked Canadian university. This year’s rankings were announced during the THE Global Sustainable Development Congress in Istanbul. This marks the fifth consecutive year that ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s has placed in the global top 10, a mile-stone unmatched by any other Canadian institution since the rankings began in 2019. The rankings evaluate how universities perform across the UN’s 17 SDGs, which call for global action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.

����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s improves its global standing

����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s has improved its standing in the . The university is now ranked 191st out of 1,501 post-secondary institutions across 106 locations, rising two places from last year and maintaining its place in the top 200 universities worldwide. Within Canada, ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s has also advanced one place, now sitting 9th among the 29 Canadian schools evaluated. The QS World University Rankings evaluate universities across several broad performance indicators, spanning research, university partnerships, student learning experience and outcomes, and academic and employer reputation. Within Canada, ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s stood out in employability, ranking in the top five nationally for employment outcomes for graduates, and for its reputation with global employers for producing the most job-ready graduates. ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s has steadily improved its global standing in the QS rankings, gaining 55 positions in the last three years.

Distinguished University Professor receives one of the highest honours for scientists

Dr. John Smol, Distinguished University Professor in ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s department of biology, has been elected as an international member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

The organization is responsible for overseeing the U.S. National Research Council and fostering the broad understanding of science. Each year, a maximum of 120 members are elected. Dr. Smol is one of only 30 international scientists and five Canadians elected to the NAS in 2025. As a leading scientist in the field of paleolimnology, Dr. Smol conducts research focusing on studying freshwater systems to track their long-term changes, specifically relating to climate change and other human impacts. His research on the effects of warming on High Arctic lake ecosystems identified the critical impact of greenhouse-gas-induced warming in the region years before most people recognized climate change as an environmental issue. His work has informed public policy, provided methods to track historical environmental conditions, guided future environmental action, and raised awareness of evidence-based climate-change research.

Early-career researcher wins prestigious Polanyi Prize for work developing cleaner chemical processes

����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s researcher Rachel Baker (chemical engineering) has been awarded the prestigious Polanyi Prize in Chemistry for pioneering greener approaches in chemical manufacturing. Modelled after the five Nobel Prize categories, the Polanyi Prize recognizes outstanding early-career researchers whose innovations drive progress in fields vital to Ontario’s economic growth. Dr. Baker’s vision is to reduce the chemical industry’s reliance on fossil fuels with a two-pronged approach that uses electrolysis reactions to repurpose biomass and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This cuts down on greenhouse gas production by utilizing clean electricity to power chemical reactions, while simultaneously using pollutants like CO2 as a feedstock. Dr. Baker, Sc’17, is the Robins Family Professor of Engineering Chemistry, a professorship endowed by the late DavosPharma founder and Kingston native Barry Robins, BSc’64, and family.

Smith Engineering’s Heidi Ploeg recognized for visionary leadership

Heidi Ploeg, Sc’88, MEng’91, PhD’00, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Smith Engineering’s inaugural Chair for Women in Engineering, has been named one of Canada’s top 100 most powerful women for 2024
by WXN, the Women’s Executive Network. Dr. Ploeg was recognized in the BMO STEM category. Her visionary leadership and dedication to advancing gender equity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has brought national attention to the impactful work underway within Smith Engineering. The awards site notes that Dr. Ploeg is “recognized internationally as a leader in orthopedic biomechanics. Her testing and modelling of live bone in culture is unique, made possible through a bioreactor and loading system. Through her industrial and clinical partners, Dr. Ploeg’s research impacts product design, orthopedic surgery, and therapy.”

Preparations underway to welcome alumni back to campus

The countdown is on for Homecoming 2025, set for the weekend of Oct. 17–19. This year marks the 99th annual reunion, when alumni return to campus for three days of reconnecting, discovering what’s new at ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s, and meeting future grads. This year, milestone reunions are being celebrated for alumni who graduated in years ending in five or zero, along with the Tricolour Guard (those celebrating 50 years or more since graduation). Registration is open and you can start planning now. Register and be sure to visit Plan Your Visit for info on accommodation options, getting around town, and more. 

Ultimate players represent Canada at world championships

A student, Dax Miller, Artsci’26, and two alumni, Tyler Gunasekera, Artsci’25, and Lucas Coster, Sc’24, were among 1,250 athletes from more than 25 countries who competed in the World Under-24 Ultimate Championships held in Logroño, Spain, in June. Miller and Gunasekera both played on the men’s (open) team, returning to Canada with the bronze medal. Coster played on the mixed team and came home with a silver medal. The trio are no strangers to success – they had already helped the Gaels win a Canadian University National Ultimate Championship in fall 2023 and helped the team to a bronze in fall 2024.