Érika Le Bourdais

Érika completed a bachelor’s degree in physics with a specialization in astrophysics in the winter of 2022 at Université de Montréal. Recognizing the importance of communication and popularization skills in research, she took advantage of the summer preceding her master’s degree to become the first Sureau fellow in education and public outreach at iREx under the supervision of Nathalie Ouellette. This opportunity allowed her to acquire a wide range of skills and knowledge that she uses daily in the promotion of her research.

During her master’s, she focused on the study of exoplanetary debris around and in the atmosphere of white dwarf stars. The characterization of those debris provides a unique insight into the evolution of stars like the Sun and their planetary system. She now continues at the PhD level.

Beyond her research work, Érika is also very involved in the physics department of Université de Montréal, particularly in improving the study conditions of the student population and the promotion of good practices in mental health. She also works actively within the iREx communications team on various education and public outreach projects.

Supervisor

Patrick Dufour