Science Writers and Communicators of Canada
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Science Writers and Communicators of Canada
@swc-can.bsky.social
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We're the SWCC! We foster quality #scicomm & provide a community for science writers across #Canada. Become a member today!🔬✈️

Awards 2025 Submissions: https://sciencewriters.ca/bookawards/submissions

Website: https://sciencewriters.ca/
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Who inspires you in science? Tell us in the comments!

#ScienceSpotlight #STEMStories #TrailblazingWomen #WomenInSTEM #WomenInScience #CanadianScience #CanadianHeritage #STEMPioneer #InspiringScientists
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. Text on top reads: "Margaret Newton proved that determination and curiosity can change the world. Speech bubble emote. Who inspires you in science? Tell us in the comments!" At the center, there is a photo of a wheat field under a blue sunny sky. Below the photo are the hashtags #ScienceSpotlight, #STEMStories #TrailblazingWomen, #WomenInSTEM, #WomenInScience, #CanadianScience, #CanadianHeritage, #STEMPioneer, and #InspiringScientists. Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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Honoured throughout her life, Newton was the second woman elected to the Royal Society of Canada (1942), the first woman to receive its Flavelle Medal (1948), and was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame (1991). (8/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the bottom right, a photo of the Historic Sites and Monuments of Canada plaque commemorating Margaret Newton, located at the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus. Text reads: “Legacy and Awards. Sparkle emote. Honours followed her throughout her life: - Second woman elected to the Royal Society of Canada (1942). - First woman to receive its Flavelle Medal (1948). - Inducted into the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame (1991). - Registered in the Persons of National Historic Significance (1997). Her legacy lives on in every rust-resistant wheat field around the world. Wheat emote.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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In 1924, she became the head researcher at Canada’s Rust Research Laboratory in Winnipeg. Before her work, stem rust destroyed over 30 million bushels of wheat each year; by the time she retired in 1945, those losses had fallen to nearly zero. (6/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, two black-and-white photos are stacked. The top photo shows six researchers, four men and two women, from the Rust Research Laboratory standing in a field. Margaret Newton is the third from the left. The bottom photo shows Margaret Newton seeding rust plots with staff at the Dominion Rust Research Laboratory. Text on the left reads: “Lasting impact. Wheat emote. In 1924, she became head of Canada's Rust Research Laboratory in Winnipeg. Before her work, rust destroyed over 30 million bushels of wheat every year. By her retirement in 1945, those losses were nearly zero.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, two photos of wheat plants showing stems infected with stem rust (Puccinia graminis) are stacked. Text on the left reads: “What is stem rust? Wheat stem rust is a plant disease caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis. It infects the stems of the wheat plant, creating reddish-brown spores that have a rust-like colouring. An infected plant has a weak stem, which can lead to breakage and a reduced amount of grain for harvesting. This fungus is typically spread by the wind, and the tiny spores can travel long distances to infect crops.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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Margaret’s fascination with stem rust began in Fraser’s mycology course. Her research revealed that genetic variation caused different types of infections, an insight that revolutionized crop breeding and paved the way for rust-resistant wheat varieties. (5/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, a black-and-white photo of Margaret Newton's research notebook with her handwriting describing the characteristics of the rust species with which she worked. Text on the left reads: “Fighting wheat rust. Her research revealed that stem rust had many genetic races, each infecting wheat differently. By identifying 14 races, she helped breeders to develop resistant varieties.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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In 1918, she became the first woman to complete an Agriculture degree at Macdonald College. She went on to earn an M.Sc. in 1919 and, in 1922, became the first Canadian woman to earn a Ph.D. in agricultural sciences from the University of Minnesota. (4/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, a black-and-white photo of Margaret Newton's graduating class from the University of Minnesota. The class is composed of nine people, all dressed in graduation gowns. Six men are standing in he top row and three people are sitting in the bottom row. Margaret is at the bottom left. To her right, there is a man and a woman. Text on the left reads: “First Canadian woman with a PhD in Agriculture. Margaret earned her M.Sc. in 1919 and, in 1922, became the first Canadian woman to earn a Ph.D. in agricultural sciences from the University of Minnesota.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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In 1914, after being initially rejected because no woman had ever succeeded in the program, Margaret became the only woman among 50 men at Macdonald College. Supported by her mentor W.P. Fraser, she gained equal access to lab facilities and soon proved exceptional. (3/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, a black-and-white photo of McGill University's Mcdonald College main building in the 1940s. Text on the left reads: “A pioneer in agriculture. In 1914, Margaret was admitted to Macdonald College and became the only woman among 50 men in the Agriculture program. In 1918, she became the first woman to complete an Agriculture degree at Mcdonald College.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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Born in Montreal and raised on a farm near Plaisance, QC, Margaret walked three miles to school each day and later taught in rural Quebec to save for university. Initially studying Art at McMaster, a visit to her brother at McGill sparked a new passion: Agriculture. (2/8)
Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, a black-and-white photo of a family from the early 1900s is displayed: two adults and five children. Margaret Newton stands behind her seated father, with her mother and siblings Robert, John, William, and Dorothy around them. Text on the left reads: “Early Life. Margaret Newton (1887–1971) was born in Montreal and raised on a farm near Plaisance, Quebec. A curious child, she walked three miles each day to a one-room schoolhouse, and dreamed big.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. Graphic from SWCC #ScientistSpotlight with a yellow and beige background featuring wheat illustrations. On the right, two black-and-white photos are stacked: the top shows a small rural Quebec one-room schoolhouse from 1921, and the bottom shows a woman sitting at a desk in front of a blackboard in a classroom from Trois-Pistoles, 1940–41. Text on the left reads: “Breaking Barriers. After high school, she taught in rural Quebec to fund her education. She first studied Art at McMaster University, but a visit to her brother at McGill sparked a new passion: Agriculture.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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🧵In our #ScientistSpotlight ✨ today, we remember Margaret Newton, the hero of Canadian wheat 🌾.
She was a trailblazing Canadian scientist whose groundbreaking research helped protect one of Canada’s most vital crops and reshaped agriculture worldwide. (1/8)
Graphic from the SWCC #ScientistSpotlight series featuring Margaret Newton. The graphic background is a combination of yellow and beige, featuring illustrations of wheat. On the right, there is a black-and-white portrait of Margaret Newton, an older woman with curly hair, glasses, and a pearl necklace, smiling slightly. Text on the left reads: “Margaret Newton: The hero of Canadian wheat. How one determined Canadian scientist saved farmers’ fields and changed agriculture forever.” Bottom banner includes the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
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This week's SciArt 🎨🧬 Spotlight is Sreeharini Murali, a Toronto-based scientific illustrator and visual storyteller, passionate about making complex medical and scientific concepts more accessible through art.
Realistic illustration of a human skull cross section, Sagittal cross-sectional view of human skull. Realistic side-profile illustration of a wolf. The upper mouth is cut away to reveal the teeth roots inside the gums, showing plaque and tartar buildup.
November 16, 2025 at 1:01 AM
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Join us for a fireside chat with the Hon. Kirsty Duncan as she speaks about women and girls in STEM!

🗓️Date: Nov. 13th, 2025; 4:00 - 5:15 pm ET via Zoom.

💵Cost: Free for SWCC members! $30 for non-members.

👉Registration: sciencewriters.ca/event-6406958

See you there!

#SciComm #womeninstem
A post from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada promoting a virtual event. At the top of the post there is a dark green background. On the background in descending order is the SWCC logo at the very top, the title "Keeping Women and Girls Engaged in Science" in large bolded light green font below it, and the subtitle "The Role of Science Communicators, from Policy to Press Coverage" in smaller light green font below that. Under the dark green background is an image of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan smiling wearing a red top with a gold necklace against a light green background and a white "swoosh" shape behing that. Below the image is the text "Join us for a fireside conversation with the Honourable Kirsty Duncan!". Below this text at the bottom of the post is another dark green background with the text "Nov. 13th, 2025 | 4:00 - 5:15 pm ET | via Zoom" in light green font.
November 11, 2025 at 2:28 PM
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📣 Great news! The 2025 SWCC Book Awards extended the submission deadline until November 7th. 📚 Don’t miss this opportunity!

Learn more about the submission process and eligibility here:
sciencewriters.ca/bookawards/s...

#canadianbookawards #scienceauthors #sciencebooks #scicomm
"The dark blue banner at the top reads: ""The 2025 SWCC Book Awards Submission Deadline Extended"". Green text in the bottom half of the banner reads, ""New Deadline: Nov 7, 2025"". Below is an image of the 2024 Book Awards entries on a bookshelf, with a brick wall in the background. The books are in all different colors, leaning slightly to the left."
November 6, 2025 at 8:40 PM
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👨‍🔬 Omar M. Yaghi

Born in 1965 in Jordan to a Palestinian refugee family, he moved to the USA at the age of 15 and received his Ph.D. in 1990 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. (7/9)
Graphic from the SWCC #ScientistSpotlight series featuring Nobel laureate Omar H. Yaghi. The top banner displays the SWCC logo and Nobel Prize medal on a gold background. On the left, there is a portrait of Omar Yaghi smiling and wearing glasses, a light blue collared shirt, and a brown suit. On the right, text reads: "Born in 1965 in Amman, Jordan, to a Palestinian refugee family, Omar H. Yaghi moved to the USA at the age of 15. He received his Ph.D. in 1990 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley." Below, a quote from Yaghi says: "I was born in a family of refugees and my parents barely could read or write. [...] So it’s quite a journey, and science allows you to do it. [...] Science is the greatest equalizing force in the world." The quote is credited to an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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👨‍🔬 Richard Robson

Born in 1937 in England, he received his bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1959 and his Ph.D. in 1962, both from Brasenose College, Oxford. He is currently a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne, Australia. (5/9)
Graphic from the SWCC #ScientistSpotlight series featuring Nobel laureate Richard Robson. The top banner displays the SWCC logo and Nobel Prize medal on a gold background. On the left, there is a portrait of Richard Robson wearing glasses and a white shirt, looking at a molecular model with connected spheres. On the right, text reads: "Born in 1937 in Glusburn, England, Richard Robson received his bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1959 and his Ph.D. in 1962, both from Brasenose College, Oxford. He is currently a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne." Below, a quote from Robson says: "I must say that some people thought, at the time [mid-eighties], it was a whole load of rubbish. Anyhow, it didn’t turn out that way." The quote is credited to an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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👨‍🔬 Susumu Kitagawa

Born in 1951 in Japan, he received his PhD from Kyoto University in 1879. Currently, he is a Distinguished Professor at Kyoto University and co-founder of iCeMS. (3/9)
Graphic from the SWCC #ScientistSpotlight series featuring Nobel laureate Susumu Kitagawa. The top banner displays the SWCC logo and Nobel Prize medal on a gold background. On the left, there is a portrait of Susumu Kitagawa smiling and wearing glasses, a white collared shirt, and a black suit. On the right, text reads: "Born in 1951 in Kyoto, Japan, Susumu Kitagawa received his PhD in hydrocarbon chemistry from Kyoto University in 1979. He is a Distinguished Professor, co-founder and director at Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS)." Below, a quote from Kitagawa says: "I tried to do something with [a] big challenge mind, so if this is impossible, if several people said, this is impossible and this cannot be realized, I have a very big motivation." The quote is credited to an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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These intricate molecular structures with large internal spaces can trap, store, or filter gases. These remarkable materials have the potential to capture carbon dioxide, harvest water from desert air, store toxic gases, and catalyze chemical reactions. (2/9)
Illustration explaining metal-organic frameworks for the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The top banner features the SWCC logo and #ScientistSpotlight on a gold background. The main graphic shows a white cube-shaped structure labelled "Metal-organic framework," with three yellow, round characters inside, representing molecules that can be stored in metal-organic frameworks. One of these characters is reading, another is drinking tea, and the last one inside is listening to music. Another character outside carries a suitcase. Below, the text reads: "They created molecular constructions called metal-organic frameworks with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These constructions can be used to harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases, or catalyze chemical reactions."
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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🧵We close our celebration of the 2025 Nobel Prizes by spotlighting Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi, laureates of this year’s #NobelPrize in Chemistry for creating metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). (1/9)
Graphic celebrating the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. At the top, the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight appear on a green banner. Below, three portraits of the laureates are shown: Susumu Kitagawa from Kyoto University, Japan; Richard Robson from the University of Melbourne, Australia; and Omar M. Yaghi from the University of California, Berkeley, USA. The text reads: "Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025. For the development of metal-organic frameworks." The background is gold, resembling a Nobel medal texture.
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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⏰ Deadline approaching!

Join SWCC’s Professional Development & Membership Committee and help shape our exciting new event lineup!

Apply by Nov 1, 2025 👉https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5805OaNVXsXAqevJh9nC-Z7qyMsx6GjjnInDxVGuE62DeJw/viewform

#scicomm #volunteeropportunity
A colourful graphic with a green background showing diverse hands holding puzzle pieces of different colours around a white speech bubble. Inside the bubble, the text reads: “Get involved with SWCC. Volunteers needed. Join our Professional Development & Membership Committee.” A yellow banner highlights the committee name. At the bottom, smaller text reads: “Fill out the form before November 1, 2025.
October 28, 2025 at 11:37 PM
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❗️ Dernière chance !

📚 Le comité des Book Awards a reçu de nombreuses candidatures en français, et nous recherchons un juge francophone ou bilingue !

👉 Curieux ? Postulez avant le 31 octobre !
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Bonne lecture!

#SWCCBookAwards #SciComm
Un message promotionnel des Rédacteurs et communicateurs scientifiques du Canada. Une page déchirée, vert clair au premier plan, repose sur un fond vert foncé. Sur la page vert clair, on peut lire en haut : « Prix du livre SWCC 2025 : Juges recherchés », en bas : un mégaphone vert pointant vers la droite, avec trois éclairs en pointant, et le message « Dernière Chance ! ». Le logo SWCC figure en haut sur fond vert foncé, et en bas : « Détails et lien pour postuler dans la description ! ».
October 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
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❗️French-speaking and/or bilingual judges wanted!

📚 The Book Awards committee received many French book submissions, and we are looking for a French-speaking or bilingual judge!

👉 Interested? Apply by October 31st!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Happy reading!

#SWCCBookAwards #SciComm
A promotional post from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada. A light green foreground in the shape of a ripped page sits atop of a dark green background. On the light green page has the text "2025 SWCC Book Awards 2025: Judges Needed" at the top, a graphic of a green megaphone pointing to the right with three lightning bolts pointing out of it with the text "Last Call!", and the text "Apply by October 31st and help choose the top science books of 2025!" at the bottom. At the top of the post on the dark green background is the SWCC logo and at the bottom of the post on the dark green background is the text "Details and link to apply in the description!".
October 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
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👨‍🔬 ⚛️ John M. Martinis

Born in 1958, Martinis earned both his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physics from UC Berkeley, where he worked with Clarke and Devoret. Now Professor Emeritus at UC Santa Barbara, he also led a team at Google Quantum AI. (7/9)
A promotional graphic from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) #ScientistSpotlight series. The background is gold with a green banner at the top featuring the SWCC logo, a Nobel Prize medal icon, and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. On the left is a portrait of John Martinis, smiling and wearing a blue collared shirt. Text on the right reads: "Born in 1958, John Matthew Martinis received his B.Sc. with a major in physics in 1980 and his Ph.D. in physics in 1987, both from the University of California in Berkeley. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA." Below, a quote reads: "The most exciting part is that we did some experiments that led to lots of great science. And it was such an interesting experience for me to work with Michel Devoret and John Clarke, to be trained as a scientist doing a great experiment, working with great people." The quote is attributed to John M. Martinis in an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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👨‍🔬⚛️ Michel H. Devoret

Born in Paris in 1953, Devoret earned his PhD at the University of Orsay. He joined Clarke’s lab as a postdoc researcher. Today, he is Professor of Physics at UC Santa Barbara, Professor Emeritus at Yale, and Chief Scientist at Google Quantum AI. (5/9)
A promotional graphic from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) #ScientistSpotlight series. The background is gold with a green banner at the top featuring the SWCC logo, a Nobel Prize medal icon, and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. On the left is a portrait of Michel Devoret, smiling and wearing a black sweater and a white collared shirt. Text on the right reads: "Born in 1953 in Paris, France, Michel H. Devoret received his Ph.D. from Paris University, in 1982. He is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Professor Emeritus of Applied Physics at Yale University." Below, a quote reads: "A fundamental discovery really becomes true when you can apply it to something concrete. My model was John Clarke. I joined his laboratory because he was conducting fundamental research, but he was also working on sensing devices with many applications." The quote is attributed to Michel Devoret in an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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👨‍🔬⚛️ John Clarke

Born in Cambridge, UK, in 1942, Clarke earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge before joining the University of California, Berkeley, where he is now a Professor Emeritus. (3/9)
A promotional graphic from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) #ScientistSpotlight series. The background is gold with a green banner at the top featuring the SWCC logo, a Nobel Prize medal icon, and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. On the left is a portrait of physicist John Clarke, smiling and wearing glasses, a red sweater, and a collared shirt. Text on the right reads: “Born in 1942 in Cambridge, UK, John Clarke received his PhD in physics from the University of Cambridge in 1968. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, USA.” Below, a quote reads: “I’m so happy and so pleased that John Martinis and Michel Devoret have shared the prize with me. I could not imagine accepting the prize without the two of them.” The quote is attributed to John Clarke in an interview with Adam Smith from nobelprize.org.
October 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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Their discovery laid the foundation for today’s quantum technologies, from quantum computers 🖥️ to sensors and cryptography. But beyond the physics lies a story of collaboration, mentorship, and lifelong curiosity. (2/9)
Illustration with a split background: black on the left for the quantum realm and blue on the right for the macroscopic scale. On the left, a blue atom with white electrons orbits near two smiling white spheres representing coupled electrons moving through a superconducting tunnel. The boundary between both sides symbolizes the barrier crossed in quantum tunnelling. On the right, the superconductor becomes a white, worm-like creature with a smiling face holding a black and white light bulb, representing quantum tunnelling and energy quantization. At the top, a banner shows the SWCC logo and hashtag #ScientistSpotlight. Below, the quote reads: “Their experiments on an electrical circuit demonstrated quantum physics in action in a system big enough to be held in the hand. Their discovery provided opportunities for developing the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors.”
October 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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🧵🔬Continuing our #ScientistSpotlight celebration of the 2025 Nobel Prizes, this week we highlight the #NobelPrize in Physics ⚛️, awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for demonstrating quantum mechanical effects on an electrical circuit. (1/9)
A promotional graphic from the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) #ScientistSpotlight series. The background is gold with a green banner at the top featuring the SWCC logo and the hashtag #ScientistSpotlight beside a Nobel Prize medal icon. The title reads “Nobel Prize in Physics 2025.” Below are three portraits of the laureates: John Clarke from the University of California, Berkeley, USA; Michel H. Devoret from Yale University in New Haven, CT, and the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA; and John M. Martinis from the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. At the bottom, a quote in large text reads: “For their discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit.”
October 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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📣 Only 1 week left to submit your book to the 2025 SWCC Book Awards! 📚

Learn more about the submission process and deadlines here:
sciencewriters.ca/bookawards/s...

#scicomm #sciencebooks #canadianauthors
"The dark blue banner at the top reads: ""The 2025 SWCC Book Awards is Now Open for Submissions. Deadline Oct 31, 2025"". Below is an image of the 2024 Book Awards entries on a bookshelf, with a brick wall in the background. The books are in all different colors, leaning slightly to the left."
October 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM