WHAT IS THE ACADEMY?
The AMA program, proposed to the regular stream of NSERC-CREATE, is supported by four institutions – Université de Montréal (UdeM), Polytechnique Montréal (Poly), McGill University (McGill) and Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) – and propelled by the Regroupement Québécois sur les Matériaux de Pointe (RQMP).
Our vision for AMA is to create a uniquely integrated, interdisciplinary, collaborative, professional, inclusive and immersive training experience for students in materials science and engineering. In addition to their specialized research training covering the full spectrum of next-generation materials, AMA trainees will benefit from several activities going beyond the standard experience of graduate studies in our field. Supported by a 5M$ budget from CREATE & our partners, AMA will provide a global platform for student recruitment, hands-on workshops in the state-of-the-art facilities of RQMP, an immersive experience in industry and/or abroad, a shared offer, of course, for academic and transversal skills, an annual international summer school and mentoring, integration and outreach activities. Over the program’s term, AMA will enroll 105 trainees in its full program. In addition, the AMA activities will also be open to all of the RQMP trainees. This inclusive approach ensures that AMA will significantly benefit a vast number of trainees in materials science and engineering.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Increase the diversity and global competitiveness of our student cohorts in MS&E.
Our targets here are to increase the visibility and power of attraction of our graduate programs covering MS&E, to reduce barriers in the recruitment process and to promote an inclusive student experience. This will enlarge the recruitment pool and results in more diverse excellent cohorts.
Coordinate an enhanced interdisciplinary & multi-institution training curriculum in MS&E.
We seek to assemble an integrated offer of courses and workshops to address gaps in the traditional academic curriculum. In addition to better coordinating our theoretical course offers, we will provide a broader experience on instrumentation, more interdisciplinary interactions, and add learning opportunities for transversal knowledge and skills in business, computation, communication, among others.
Facilitate the integration of MS&E graduates into the Canadian workforce and society.
Our goal is to empower our students to take leadership roles in the workforce and contribute positively to society. We want our students to experience various environments other than the classroom and their supervisor’s lab, so that they learn to adapt to different teammates and work situations. We will help our international students to integrate our community. Finally, we will foster a culture of inclusive practices in which all students learn to collaborate with each other, regardless of their different backgrounds.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Increase the diversity and global competitiveness of our student cohorts in MS&E.
Our targets here are to increase the visibility and power of attraction of our graduate programs covering MS&E, to reduce barriers in the recruitment process and to promote an inclusive student experience. This will enlarge the recruitment pool and results in more diverse excellent cohorts.
Coordinate an enhanced interdisciplinary & multi-institution training curriculum in MS&E.
We seek to assemble an integrated offer of courses and workshops to address gaps in the traditional academic curriculum. In addition to better coordinating our theoretical course offers, we will provide a broader experience on instrumentation, more interdisciplinary interactions, and add learning opportunities for transversal knowledge and skills in business, computation, communication, among others.
Facilitate the integration of MS&E graduates into the Canadian workforce and society.
Our goal is to empower our students to take leadership roles in the workforce and contribute positively to society. We want our students to experience various environments other than the classroom and their supervisor’s lab, so that they learn to adapt to different teammates and work situations. We will help our international students to integrate our community. Finally, we will foster a culture of inclusive practices in which all students learn to collaborate with each other, regardless of their different backgrounds.
THE PROGRAM OFFER
Mobility
- Processus de recrutement global et international
- 4 mois de stage à l’étranger (France, Suisse, Allemagne, États-Unis, Chine, Australie, etc.) ou en entreprise canadienne
- Participation à une école d’été internationale
Professional skills training and mentoring
- Training in communication, management, knowledge transfer and/or ethics
- Training in business skills
- Training in Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI)
- Mentoring for better integration: Each participant will be paired with a mentor (e.g. professor or senior student), with the aim of facilitating inclusion in the program and the spirit of community.
- Recognition of awareness
- Inclusive social activities
Technical training
- Academic courses coordinated between the University of Montreal, Polytechnique, McGill, and the University of Sherbrooke
- Hands-on workshops in Controlled growth of thin films, Micro/nanofabrication of devices, Low temperature measurements, Surface analysis with ion beams, Raman spectroscopy of nanomaterials, Surface topography with scanning probes, and Material simulations
- Training in advanced computer skills
- Training in sustainable development
THE PROGRAM OFFER
Mobility
- Global and international recruitment process
- 4 months of internships abroad (France, Switzerland, Germany, United States, China, Australia, etc.) or in a Canadian company
- Participation in an international summer school
Professional skills training and mentoring
- Training in communication, management, knowledge transfer and/or ethics
- Training in business skills
- Training in Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI)
- Mentoring for better integration: Each participant will be paired with a mentor (e.g. professor or senior student), with the aim of facilitating inclusion in the program and the spirit of community.
- Recognition of awareness
- Inclusive social activities
Technical training
- Academic courses coordinated between the University of Montreal, Polytechnique, McGill, and the University of Sherbrooke
- Hands-on workshops in Controlled growth of thin films, Micro/nanofabrication of devices, Low temperature measurements, Surface analysis with ion beams, Raman spectroscopy of nanomaterials, Surface topography with scanning probes, and Material simulations
- Training in advanced computer skills
- Training in sustainable development
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Delphine Bouilly (UdeM), project manager, but also to the co-applicants, to our collaborators from the university and industry network, but above all to all our members of the RQMP who played an essential role from the ideation to the design of this project.
Special thanks to: Andrea Bianchi (UdeM); Audrey Laventure (UdeM); Bradley Siwick (McGill); François Schiettekatte (UdeM); Ion Garate (UdeS); Lena Simine (McGill); Louis Taillefer (UdeS); Ludvik Martinu (Poly); Paul G. Charette (UdeS); Tamar Pereg-Barnea (McGill); Thomas Szkopek (McGill); Yves-Alain Peter (Poly)and Sébastien Garbarino, Director of Innovation & Infrastructures at PRIMA Québec;.
Offering an international internship and industry internship opportunity, it also goes without saying to thank our laboratory partners and collaborating industries (IBM, Calogy, Chemia Discovery Inc, 5Nplus, Photon Etc., Teledyne MEMS, Nanoacademic Technologies Inc , Plasmionics, D-Wave Systems Inc) who volunteered to warmly welcome our future interns.
Finally, we acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
