'We're leading Quebec's universities in surface science'

Next month, for the first time ever, Concordia will host the biannual Surface Canada conference. The event brings together world-recognized experts and young researchers from a broad spectrum of disciplines.

“Surface science encompasses the physics and chemistry of all interfaces, as these define how a material interacts with its environment,” explains Christine DeWolf, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

“From a materials science perspective, we aim to control the surface properties to define the functionality of a material for a specific application.”

While surface science spans many domains, the conference is often run by a physics department. It’s therefore notable that this year’s host is Concordia’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Centre for NanoScience Research.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the conference also marks the centennial anniversary of Irving Langmuir’s seminal paper on liquid surfaces.

Local connections

Despite Quebec’s close ties to surface science, which include many Montreal connections, the conference hasn’t taken place in the province for a decade.

“Quebec, and in particular Montreal, has a strong network of research on self-assembly and materials chemistry and physics,” explains DeWolf, who is also chair of her department.  

“This is exemplified through the success of the Centre for Self-Assembled Chemical Structures, the Centre québécois sur les matériaux fonctionnels and the Régroupement québécois sur les matériaux de pointe.”

‘Our reputation is growing rapidly’

Prominent UCLA surface and nanoscience professor Paul Weiss will deliver the plenary address at this year’s conference.

The four-day event aims to strengthen the surface science community and will be held in a single-session format. There will be many networking opportunities, including a barbeque at the historic Grey Nuns Building.

“The goal is to foster and generate new ideas through interdisciplinary interactions,” DeWolf says, adding that the conference speaks to Concordia’s emerging stature as a leader in surface and nanoscience.

“Concordia’s reputation is growing rapidly. It’s important to highlight that we’ve taken the lead amongst all the Quebec universities that have research in these areas by hosting this national-level conference.”

Find out more about Concordia’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.