With over 15 public talks, 13 research booths at the Science Carnival, and many community visitors to Lakehead University's Thunder Bay campus over the last five days, officials consider this year's event a sweeping success.
Pictured are 2026 Distinguished Researcher Award recipients Dr. Sam Salem and Dr. Anna Guttman.
"At its heart, Research & Innovation Week is about the power of partnerships," said Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President of Research and Innovation. "Seeing community members, industry leaders, Lakehead students and researchers come together to connect and discuss current and future projects and partnerships strengthens the innovation ecosystem in Thunder Bay and beyond."
The weeklong celebration kicked off with Science Carnival, a free public event held in partnership with Science North at the Intercity Shopping Centre. Over 3,200 people visited exhibitor booths where they enjoyed hands-on experiments and demonstrations for all ages.
Lakehead's next generation of scholars was also on full display. Forty-six undergraduate and 56 graduate students shared their scholarly and creative activity with the community and their peers. Tanner Boyle, a Master of Computer Science student, claimed first place in the university's annual Three Minute Thesis competition for his presentation on Alzheimer's stage classification. Master of Archaeological Science student, Ursula Kilbridge, won the 2026 GRADflix competition for her video, "Seeking Indigenous Guidelines for Laboratory Research on Plant and Animal Remains."
At Lakehead's 21st Annual Research Excellence Awards, researchers Dr. Anna Guttman and Dr. Sam Salem were recognized with the 2026 Distinguished Researcher Award.
An internationally recognized expert on South Asian literature and culture and Jewish Studies, Dr. Guttman, Professor in the Department of English, continues to elevate Lakehead's global research profile. Over a 20-year career at Lakehead, she has produced four influential books and earned a reputation as a leading voice in postcolonial studies, exploring critical themes of diaspora, multiculturalism, globalization, and gender and sexuality. Her international influence is highlighted by her past role as the International President of the Association for Commonwealth Language and Literature Studies.
"I'm honoured to be named Lakehead's 2026 Distinguished Researcher," said Dr. Guttman. "It's been a privilege to work with colleagues in the Department of English, and with students in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities."
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity that this award brings to share my new work, which investigates ideas about housing, community, and collective living in contemporary South Asian culture."
Since joining Lakehead in 2012, Dr. Sam Salem, Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, has become a leading expert in structural fire engineering. He has built an influential research program, advancing the fire performance of innovative building systems, particularly those made of mass timber. A milestone in his career was securing the John R. Evans Leaders Fund award from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, which led to the creation of the Lakehead University Fire Testing and Research Laboratory - the only facility of its kind in Canada.
"I'm deeply honoured to receive this award," Dr. Salem stated. "It's a reflection of the incredible real-world impact of the research we conduct, and the success of the highly qualified people I have had the privilege to mentor, whose enhanced research skills and hands-on experiences are shaping the future of our discipline."
"I'm grateful to the funding agencies and Lakehead University for their support. This recognition inspires me to continue pursuing impactful, real-world, integrity-driven research."
The public lectures, panel discussions, and interactive workshops held during Research & Innovation Week covered a range of topics from artificial intelligence, health equity, business management, Indigenous-led land-based learning, solar panels, and more.
"This week has shown that Lakehead is an economic engine for our community, translating academic excellence into real-world progress for the regions we serve," said Dr. Roy.
