Chair's message: Winter 2026

By David Hawthord

Dear alumni, colleagues, and friends, 

As we embark on another year in Physics and Astronomy, I’m reminded of the incredible breadth of work and community from the past year. This issue of The Entangler captures that spirit, from groundbreaking research to heartfelt farewells.

In this issue, we share the achievements and inspiring stories of our faculty and students from the second half of 2025. Whether unravelling the mysteries of black holes, advancing quantum frontiers, or mapping the universe from a laptop, their ongoing impact is felt across the department, the university, and in the scientific community.

This year, we celebrated Nobel Prize winner Donna Strickland and 40 years of CPA and Professor Will Percival’s recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Along with those celebrations, we also mourned the losses of Kostadinka (“Dida”) Bizheva and Raymond Laflamme, who both made remarkable contributions to Physics and to our community throughout their careers.

We are also happy that many of you, our alumni, stay connected with us through co-op opportunities for our students, attending alumni events, donations, or simply sharing stories of your careers or entrepreneurial journeys. Your engagement helps shape the future of the department. I encourage you to update your contact information, join us at upcoming events, and share your stories — we would love to feature them in future newsletters.

As we look ahead to 2026, we remain committed to building a department grounded in discovery, collaboration, and a strong sense of community. Thank you for being part of this journey.  Your support makes it possible.

Warm regards,

David Hawthorn
Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy