Sentinel North: Daring to go one step further
Driven by interdisciplinarity and innovation, Sentinel North has been a key strategy in supporting Université Laval's commitment to meeting the emerging challenges of a changing North.
A driving force for our institution
Sentinel North has shaped an extensive interdisciplinary research community and propelled a new generation of committed scientists who are now better equipped to address the more complex issues facing our societies. This force has produced tangible results, which have helped bolster Université Laval’s collective impact on both the national and international level.
interdisciplinary teams
professors from Université Laval and beyond
students and postdoctoral fellows trained
collaborations in Canada and abroad
scientific publications and communications
secured research funding 2,4:1
Sentinel North, an outstanding legacy for Université Laval
A word from the executive office
We are delighted to share the remarkable journey we have undertaken over the past ten years with the Sentinel North strategy. This digital showcase provides insight into our collective impact, highlighting innovative research, a spirit of collaboration, and our commitment to understanding the changing North and its effects on human health.
The ambitious mission of Sentinel North has come to fruition thanks to the dedication of our research teams, community members, collaborators, and partners who have continuously pushed boundaries. Sentinel North has facilitated the recruitment of new faculty members with cutting-edge expertise, bringing fresh research perspectives to the challenges facing the North. By providing an innovative training environment, this strategy has also helped cultivate a new generation of over 700 scientists who are now transforming the professional landscapes in which they operate. The results and breakthroughs span a wide range of areas—from microbiomes to ecosystems to technological innovations—yielding real and tangible benefits for Arctic and Subarctic regions.
As we look to the future, this overview encourages us to build on our successes and the lessons learned to continue pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. The connections forged through Sentinel North will resonate for years to come, and together at Université Laval, we remain determined and prepared to tackle emerging societal challenges.
We invite you to explore the impact of Sentinel North.
Keith Lévesque, Executive Director, Sentinel North
Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation
Marcel Babin, Co-Scientific Director, Sentinel North
Yves De Koninck, Co-Scientific Director, Sentinel North
From the outset, Sentinel North has benefited from the commitment of a team dedicated to monitoring the programs, deploying resources, carrying out projects, asserting objectives and stimulating a richly diverse interdisciplinary research community.
Pictured from left to right and from top to bottom:
- Marie-France Gévry, Program Manager
- Ahmed Lidam, Administration Coordinator
- Keith Lévesque, Executive Director and Assistant to the Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation
- Jérôme St-Charles, Communications Officer
- Sophie Gallais, Training Program Coordinator
- Michèle Desgagnés, Administrative Technician
- Pascale Ropars, Knowledge Mobilization Advisor
- Romina Barreto, Research and Planning Officer
- Daphné Trottier, Communications Officer
Former team members:
- Martin Fortier, Executive Director (from 2015 to 2021)
- Aurélie Lévy, Communications Officer (from 2021 to 2023)
- Marie-Andrée Bellavance, Research and Planning Officer (from 2020 to 2023)
- Béatrice Saint-Cricq, Head of Partnerships (from 2017 to 2021)
- Véronique Morin, Communications Officer (from 2017 to 2019)
- Sophie Leroux, Secretariat Officer (from 2016 to 2017)
- Nancy Tremblay, Secretariat Officer (2016)
Steering Committee
The underlying strategic vision of the Sentinel North mission was supported by a steering committee made up of members from various faculties and units at Université Laval.
- Marcel Babin, Co-Scientific Director, Sentinel North and holder of the CERC on Remote Sensing Canada’s New Arctic Frontier
- Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation (President)
- André Darveau, Executive Vice-Rector and Vice-Rector, Human Resources and Finance
- Yves De Koninck, Co-Scientific Director, Sentinel North and Director of the CERVO Brain Research Centre
- Martin Fortier, Deputy Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation (International and Knowledge Mobilisation)
- Nancy Gélinas, Dean, Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics
- Keith Lévesque (non-voting), Executive Director, Sentinel North and Assistant to the Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation
- Julien Poitras, Dean, Faculty of Medicine
- Denis Roy, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
- André Zaccarin, Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Granting agencies
Sentinel North was made possible in part through major financial support from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
Sentinel North was financially supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec.
