Érika Le Bourdais Receives 2023 Lumbroso iREx Ambassador Grant

On October 30, Érika Le Bourdais was honoured as the 2023 recipient of the Lumbroso iREx Ambassador Grant.

Érika Le Bourdais (on the right) and Sylvain Lumbroso (on the left) are shown at an iREx departmental event, during which Le Bourdais presented her research as the recipient of the Lumbroso Grant. Credit: Nathalie Ouellette

She showcased her research projects and scientific communication efforts at one of our weekly iREx meetings. At this meeting, Érika was honoured by many members of iREx community, including Mr. Sylvain Lumbroso, the generous donor instrumental in establishing the fellowship. In addition to her presentation, she engaged in discussions with both Mr. Lumbroso, our Director, René Doyon, and her advisor, Patrick Dufour, during a lunch that preceded the event.

Érika Le Bourdais, a student member of iREx, is currently pursuing her Master’s degree with a focus on studying exoplanetary debris surrounding white dwarf stars, that are detected within their atmospheres. Her research provides a unique perspective on the evolution of stars like the Sun and their planetary systems. Beyond her academic pursuits, Érika plays a vital role in our institute and in the physics department at Université de Montréal, actively working to enhance study conditions and promote good practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and in mental health for students. Her exceptional commitment earned her the prestigious Bourse d’engagement from the Fonds d’amélioration à la vie étudiante at Université de Montréal earlier this year, recognizing her as an exceptional role model for the UdeM student community. Érika also contributes her time and expertise to iREx’s communications team, engaging in various education and public outreach projects for iREx and the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic. Érika’s exceptional involvement showcases her passion for science communication and community engagement.

The iREx community extends its congratulations to Érika!

About the Lumbroso Grant

The Lumbroso iREx Ambassador Grant is awarded each year to a graduate student of the Université de Montréal who is member of iREx to recognize their leadership, community involvement and efforts to promote scientific culture to a wide audience. This award is made possible by a generous donation from Sylvain Lumbroso, a long-time supporter of iREx.