CBC’s Quirks and Quarks ‘Scientific Sovereignty — How Canadian scientists are coping with U.S. cuts and chaos’ featuring Dr. Bowdish and MD/PhD candidate Kevin Zhao

June 20, 2025

Politically-driven chaos is disrupting U.S. scientific institutions and creating challenges for science in Canada. Science is a global endeavour and collaborations with the U.S. are routine. In this special episode of Quirks & Quarks, we explore what Canadian scientists are doing to preserve their work to assert scientific sovereignty in the face of this unprecedented destabilization. 


Canadian climate scientists brace for cuts to climate science infrastructure and data 
U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on climate science are putting our Earth observing systems, in the oceans and in orbit, at risk. Canadian scientists who rely on U.S. led climate data infrastructure worry about losing long-term data that would affect our ability to understand our changing climate. With: 
Kate Moran, the president and CEO of Ocean Networks Canada and Emeritus Professor of Oceanography at the University of Victoria 
Debra Wunch, Physicist at the University of Toronto
Chris Fletcher, Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo


U.S. cuts to Great Lakes science and monitoring threaten our shared freshwater resource
U.S. budget and staffing cuts are jeopardizing the long-standing collaboration with our southern neighbour to maintain the health of the Great Lakes, our shared resource and the largest freshwater system in the world. 
With: 
Jérôme Marty, executive director of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and part-time professor at the University of Ottawa
Greg McClinchey, policy and legislative director with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Michael Wilkie, Biologist at Wilfred Laurier University
Brittney Borowiec, research associate in the Wilkie Lab at Wilfred Laurier University
Aaron Fisk, Ecologist and Canada Research Chair at the University of Windsor


Unexpected ways U.S. culture war policies are affecting Canadian scientists 
One of the first things President Trump did after taking office was to sign an executive order eliminating all DEI policies in the federal government. This is having far-reaching consequences for Canadian scientists as they navigate the new reality of our frequent research partner’s hostility against so-called “woke science.”
With:
Dr. Sofia Ahmed, Clinician scientist, and academic lead for the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute at the University of Alberta 
Angela Kaida, professor of health sciences and Canada Research Chair at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver
Dawn Bowdish, professor of immunology, the executive director of the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health and Canada Research Chair at McMaster University
Kevin Zhao, MD/PhD student in immunology in the Bowdish Lab at McMaster University
(starting at 36:10)
Jérôme Marty, executive director of the International Association for Great Lakes Research


Canada has a ‘responsibility’ to step up and assert scientific sovereignty
A 2023 report on how to strengthen our federal research support system could be our roadmap to more robust scientific sovereignty. The Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System made recommendations to the federal government for how we could reform our funding landscape. The intent was to allow us to quickly respond to national research priorities and to make Canada a more enticing research partner in world science. 
With: 
Frédéric Bouchard, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and professor of philosophy of science at the Université de Montreal. Chair of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System.

The Bowdish lab is no longer accepting thesis student applications for the 2025/26 academic year.

Thank you for your interest in our lab. Unfortunately we have received over 200 applications for 2 thesis positions and so we have no stopped accepting applications. Interviews will occur in January and if you have not heard from us, you have not been selected for an interview. This is not a reflection on the quality of your application or your credentials but simply the sheer volume of applications. Dr. Bowdish will not be able to respond to your emails directly. Very best of luck with your search.

Dr. Bowdish discusses the lab’s research on microbiota and healthy/unhealthy aging on the Agora Health Podcast

Or listen on

Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/co/podcast/how-the-microbiome-can-affect-your-overall-health-and/id1712499485?i=1000642050180&l=en-GB

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0flH90zGfa5bXAVoy1ZiiF?si=f3680075df4b4a2a

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2e2f7513-9491-40e9-a9dc-a31859560d1d/episodes/fce86aa3-0d05-4245-ab87-08be6b86323b/decoding-healthcare-research-how-the-microbiome-can-affect-your-overall-health-and-its-effects-on-aging-ep-15

Dr. Bowdish speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations to the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance

On November 4, 2023, the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance hosted an educational webinar and panel discussion about COVID-19 vaccines moderated by Dr. Dawn Richards, Vice-President with CAPA. The panel included: – Nadine Lalonde, who lives with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and is – involved as an active patient partner on various research projects and a member of the Arthritis Patient Advisory Board with Arthritis Research Canada – Inés Colmegna is a rheumatologist, researcher and Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University – Dawn Bowdish is a Canada Research Chair in Aging and Immunity, and Professor, McMaster University #CAPA #CanadianArthritisPatientAlliance #arthritis #rheumatoidarthritis #arthritisawareness #livingwitharthritis #ra #ramedications #managingra #earlystagesofarthritis #arthritisadvocate #arthritispatient #arthritistreatment #rheumatoid #arthritisresource #didyouknow #flares #managingflares #flaring #vaccines #covid19 #RAvaccines