research
SFU’s new supercomputer, Fir, is now online
November 11, 2025By: Jin Song, Peak Associate SFU now hosts Canada’s fastest supercomputer, Fir. Designed for data and compute-intensive research such as artificial intelligence (AI), Fir came online in September and is the only Canadian machine in the global top 100 supercomputers. Fir replaced its predecessor, Cedar, which was “an eight-year-old system at the time that it was decommissioned,” said James Peltier, director of research computing at SFU. Peltier is “also the site lead for SFU with respect to the supercomputing systems that are part of the national platform.” From a technology perspective, eight years is a significant number. Peltier said Fir…
Continue reading
National Institute of Health funding cuts impact research across North America
April 3, 2025By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer and Hannah Fraser, News Editor In February, the Trump administration undertook a number of “drastic” steps to reduce government spending on healthcare and medical research, according to PBS. On February 7, the National Institutes…
Continue reading
Kwiakah Nation to convert salmon farm into research facility
March 3, 2025By: Mason Mattu, News Writer With 19 members, Kwiakah First Nation makes up “the West Coast’s smallest First Nation.” With territory spanning across the Wənałdəmsa sa Kwiakah (Phillips Arm) and Frederick Arm region, the Nation has made strides toward an…
Continue reading
SFU sets Global Institute for Agritech in motion
December 3, 2024By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer In early November, SFU established its latest research institute, the Global Institute for Agritech (GIA), to “seek innovative solutions” for agricultural development and food security amid the climate crisis. The GIA aims to “conduct cutting-edge…
Continue reading
SFU scientists contribute to new neutrino telescope
October 1, 2024By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer A group of SFU scientists and other researchers across Canada have started building a new neutrino telescope. SFU physics professor Matthias Danninger and University of Alberta professor Carsten Krauss are leading the project, which was…
Continue reading
The TSSU returns to bargain with SFU to secure research workers’ rights
September 21, 2024By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer The Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) returned to bargain with SFU, beginning with the non-substantive terms of their collective agreement. On their website, the TSSU refers to this period as the first stage of bargaining…
Continue reading
SFU will build an $80 million upgraded supercomputing facility
July 10, 2024By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer On June 3, SFU announced an $80 million supercomputer upgrade that will improve efficiency, data storage, and performance from its existing supercomputer, Cedar. The current supercomputing facility is one of the top 100 in the…
Continue reading
SFU study highlights need for Long COVID awareness
May 9, 2024By: Yashita Dhillon, News Writer A report published in April by SFU’s newly-founded Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society (PIPPS) emphasizes the need for broader awareness and understanding of Long COVID among healthcare professionals and the general public in…
Continue reading
What Grinds our Gears: Poorly constructed scientific papers
November 30, 2023By: Daniel Salcedo Rubio, Features Editor I’m a grad student in STEM. I know — it’s my own doing, and there’s no one to blame but myself for having to read overly complicated scientific papers every week. What annoys me…
Continue reading
Adopting new research methodologies in the context of reconciliation
March 23, 2023By: Natalie Cooke, News Writer Dr. Adam Murry is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on Indigenous employment, substance use, and mental health, among other topics. SFU psychology recently hosted the “Psychological Research…
Continue reading
