Amélie Sanfaçon-Verret winner of the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Award
Congratulations to Amélie Sanfaçon-Verret, who recently won a £500 scholarship from the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia! She has distinguished herself through the excellence of her aphasia research, which is already having a concrete clinical impact. Amélie’s work, which began while she was studying for her professional master’s degree in speech-language pathology, led to the creation and validation of a new clinical assessment tool for people with acquired communication disorders. Today, she is pursuing her research in the field of aphasia as part of her doctorate in rehabilitation sciences at Université Laval and Cirris, under the supervision of Laura Monetta (Université Laval/Cirris) and Vanessa Taler (University of Ottawa).
The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Award recognizes members of the student community from all universities in the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Ireland with a speech-language pathology program.
*In the photo, Amélie Sanfaçon-Verret (recipient/PhD student) Laura Monetta, PhD (research director) and Vincent Martel Sauvageau PhD, (director of the speech-language pathology program, Université Laval).
2025 winners of the Prix Impact Scientifique de la Relève
Congratulations to the 2025 winners of Cirris’ Impact Scientifique de la Relève awards! With these awards, our Centre wishes to highlight the excellence and impact of the work carried out by its student community for the publication of articles making a remarkable contribution to the advancement of knowledge or practices related to Cirris’ mission during the year.
Frédérique Dupuis
PhD student in rehabilitation sciences, supervised by Pr Jean-Sébastien Roy
Article : The effect of a task-specific training on upper limb performance and kinematics while performing a reaching task in a fatigued state
Juan Camilo Mansilla
Postdoctoral fellow, supervised by Pr Normand Boucher
Article : Public Transport in the Disabling City: A Narrative Ethnography of Dilemmas and Strategies of People with Mobility Disabilities
Martin Caouette and Emmanuelle Careau receive the Charles III Coronation Medal
Congratulations to the research members of Cirris who were recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, a special commemorative award designed primarily to honor Canadians who have made significant contributions to their communities or abroad. It celebrates their achievements, dedication and commitment to the well-being of Canadian society.
Martin Caouette is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychoeducation at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, researcher at the Institut universitaire en déficience intellectuelle et en trouble du spectre de l’autisme / CIUSSS-MCQ and holder of the Chaire autodétermination et handicap at UQTR. A psychoeducator by training, his research interests focus on the self-determination of adults with an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder, in order to better understand the issues at stake in residential and socio-professional contexts, and in the transition from school to adult life. He is interested in the practices of caregivers and, to promote knowledge transfer and proximity to clinical settings, he collaborates with various Quebec and international practice environments.
Emmanuelle Careau is Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy Program at Université Laval’s École des sciences de la réadaptation, Associate Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Sustainable Development and EDI at Université Laval, and FRQ-S (Junior 1) Research Fellow. An occupational therapist by training, she is interested in developing, implementing and evaluating the impact of innovations in interprofessional education, optimizing collaborative practices and social responsibility projects in healthcare.
The entire Cirris community joins in offering its most sincere congratulations!
Teaching Excellence Award for Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau
Congratulations to Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau, Associate Professor at Université Laval’s School of Psychology, who has been awarded the Prix d’excellence en enseignement in the Associate or Full Professor category for 2023-2024! These awards recognize outstanding research and teaching by faculty members.
Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau is a Cirris researcher and FRQ-S Scholar (Junior 1). A psychologist by training, he holds an attestation for the evaluation of neuropsychological disorders, and his research interests focus on evaluation and intervention in rehabilitation neuropsychology, more specifically with adult clients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke. He is particularly interested in the functional impacts of cognitive disorders, the links between sleep and cognition, and the use of technology in neuropsychological assessment and intervention.
Photo credits: Faculty of Social Sciences, Université Laval
Teaching excellence award for 3 Cirris researchers
On December 4, Université Laval announced the names of its faculty members who have won a Teaching Excellence Award for 2024. Congratulations to the 3 Cirris researchers who are among the winners!
Alexandre Campeau-Lecours, full professor
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Distance, Hybrid or Co-modal Course Award
François Routhier, full professor
Faculty of Medicine, School of Rehabilitation Sciences
Graduate Supervision Award
François Bergeron, full professor
Faculty of Medicine, School of Rehabilitation Sciences
Program Management Award
These awards recognize the exceptional contribution of professors who brilliantly pass on their passion and knowledge, and contribute to the reputation of Université Laval. It also highlights the excellence of their teaching practices, as well as their commitment, creativity and sense of innovation, and the quality of the teams that support them in their teaching approach.
To learn more, read the Université Laval article (in French) or watch the videos produced by Université Laval on each of the award winners:
Alexandre Campeau-Lecours
François Routhier
François Bergeron
Source :
Direction of communications
Université Laval
418 656-3355
medias@ulaval.ca
Aurélien Ramos wins two prizes at the Science POP 2024 provincial finals
Congratulations to Aurélien Ramos, a Master’s student in Rehabilitation Sciences, who took 1st place – Chief Scientist Award – in the Sustainable Health Challenge at the Science POP 2024 Grand Finals held on November 21 and 22 in Montreal ! His presentation entitled “Changer de réalité : une nouvelle vision de l’activité physique” (Changing reality: a new vision of physical activity) also earned him the People’s Choice Award!
Initiated by the Institut de Recherche Clinique de Montréal (IRCM), Science POP is a pan-Quebec competition offering 3 scientific communication challenges designed to promote science-society dialogue: Outreach Challenge, Media Challenge and Sustainable Health Challenge. Twenty-four finalists from twelve Quebec institutions took part in this grand final.
Congratulations also to Margaux Hebinck, a doctoral student in rehabilitation sciences, who defended her place in the Outreach Challenge with a presentation entitled “Fundamental motor skills: the anti-kryptonite of physical activity”.
Aurélien and Margaux are both affiliated with the Clinical Neurodevelopment Laboratory.
Photo credits: Clinical Neurodevelopment Laboratory
Carol L. Richards named Emeritus Researcher at Cirris
On June 17, the Cirris community paid tribute to its founder, Carol L. Richards. The ceremony was attended by many members of our research community, as well as various players in the healthcare sector. For the occasion, Ms. Richards was awarded the title of Cirris’ first Emeritus Researcher.
Throughout her exceptional career, Ms. Richards has shown great determination to advance rehabilitation research. Her sustained involvement led to the creation of Cirris, which is now recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in the field, and which today brings together 90 research teams.
Guy Thibodeau, President and CEO of CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, was on hand to pay tribute to Mrs. Richards and present her with a plaque commemorating this achievement.
Congratulations, Ms. Richards!
FRQNT STRATEGIA grant awarded to Cirris team
A Cirris team led by Benoit Gosselin, and also including researchers Véronique Flamand, François Routhier, Alexandre Campeau-Lecours and Édith Martin, was recently awarded a STRATÉGIA grant from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) worth a total of $1,125,000 over 3 years for their project “MAIN: Myo-prothèse à Apprentissage Interactif et Neuro-renforcement”.
The STRATÉGIA initiative is part of the SQRI2 2022-2027 and the FRQNT Strategic Plan 2022-2025. Its main aim is to drive sustainable innovation in key economic sectors, by increasing research capacity tenfold, supporting the next generation of researchers, and generating significant spin-offs for Quebec.
About the project
Myoelectric hand prostheses enable people with upper-limb amputations to regain their abilities and independence in everyday life. However, the products currently on the market are very expensive, often uncomfortable, and still counter-intuitive, which greatly limits their positive impact.
The MAIN project aims to design the first intelligent hand prosthesis technology based on HD-EMG myoelectric sensors exploiting interactive deep learning. In addition to enhancing the user experience by compensating for their disabilities in a natural way, interactive learning combined with an on-board HD-EMG sensor platform will enhance users’ neuromuscular capabilities and fully exploit the capacities of their residual limbs, beyond current limits.
This project brings together international experts from five FRQ-NT strategic clusters (UNIQUE, ReSMiQ, INTER, REPARTI, CQMF), an FRQ-S network and center (REPAR and Cirris), two college technology transfer centers (TOPMED and Groupe CTT), public and industrial partners (CIUSSS-CN and BIO6), and four university research chairs (two Canada Chairs and two Canada-CIFAR Chairs). The team brings together world-renowned complementary expertise in biomedical engineering, clinical rehabilitation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and materials science to create a new intelligent myoelectric prosthesis technology that will revolutionize current approaches and transform healthcare in Quebec and around the world.
Catherine Mercier awarded Canada Research Chair in Sensorimotor Rehabilitation and Pain
Catherine Mercier is Scientific Director of the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), Full Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, and a member of the Québec Pain Research Network (QPRN). She was recently awarded a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sensorimotor Rehabilitation and Pain. Tier 1 Chairs are awarded to outstanding researchers recognized by their peers as world leaders in their field. For each Tier 1 Chair, the institution receives $200,000 per year for seven years. The mission of this Chair is to develop a better understanding of the interactions between sensorimotor functions and pain, focusing in particular on the changes that occur in the central nervous system in response to injury, disease or intervention, in order to maximize the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions.
The Canada Research Chairs Program is at the heart of a national strategy to make Canada one of the best countries in the world for research and development. It invests approximately $311 million a year to attract and retain a diverse group of top-notch researchers, in order to consolidate excellence in research and training at Canada’s post-secondary institutions. This program is a joint initiative of the three research funding agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
The entire Cirris community extends its most sincere congratulations to you, Pre Mercier!
Source: RQRD
Maxime Robert receives ISVR’s Early Career Investigator Award 2024
Congratulations to Maxime Robert, winner of the 2024 Early Career Investigator Award from the International Society for Virtual Rehabilitation (ISVR)! The award, which recognizes and honors outstanding leadership and dedication, will be officially presented to him at the organization’s next world congress, to be held in Amsterdam from June 26 to 28, 2024.
Each year, ISVR brings together interdisciplinary experts engaged in cutting-edge research, clinical advancement and entrepreneurial exploration, offering an in-depth presentation of new technologies and clinical developments in virtual reality (VR), extended reality (ER) and advances applied to rehabilitation.
Maxime Robert has been an assistant professor at Université Laval’s École des sciences de réadaptation since 2019 and a researcher at Cirris. His research program covers a broad spectrum and has enabled him to acquire and develop unique multidisciplinary expertise in motor control, learning and the development of intensive intervention with virtual reality for children with cerebral palsy.
Among the innovations in the field of virtual rehabilitation that earned him this prestigious award:
The clinical use of active video games for children with cerebral palsy:
Children with diplegic cerebral palsy exercise at a similar intensity to typically developing children when playing on an active video game console. This was demonstrated by Professor Robert in a study cited more than 60 times by the scientific community, proving that active video games can promote physical fitness in children with cerebral palsy.
Motor learning, the role of sensation and the use of virtual reality in children with cerebral palsy:
Professor Robert and his team have demonstrated that after intensive functional intervention using a virtual reality system, motor improvements can not only be retained, but also transferred to a similar task. The functional task adapted to the study is now being used in other laboratories, notably in studies on adult stroke victims.
A clinical site for intensive interventions with children suffering from cerebral palsy:
In partnership with clinicians at CHU Sainte-Justine’s Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant, Pr Robert and his team have set up a summer training camp for children with cerebral palsy. This 2-week, 60-hour intensive therapy integrates virtual reality into an intensive reference intervention, offering a range of exercises not usually performed in a clinical setting. The clinical trial began in summer 2022 and is due to be repeated over the next five years. Around 60 children will benefit.
Virtual reality in the service of adapted physical activity for people with neurological disorders
A virtual platform can be a valuable tool for clinicians wishing to offer stimulating and motivating physical rehabilitation activities to people with physical disabilities, in a variety of settings, including the home. In collaboration with technology and community partners, Professor Robert is developing innovative solutions to promote physical activity using virtual reality outside the clinical setting.
For more information: communications@cirris.ulaval.ca
Stéphanie Bernard, winner of the program to support young leaders and the next generation of sustainable healthcare professionals
On March 28, the Chaire de recherche en santé durable announced the results of the first competitions in its program to support young leaders in sustainable health.
Among the winners: Stéphanie Bernard, assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation at Université Laval and researcher at Cirris. She was awarded a $40,000 grant for her project entitled “Perineal and pelvic health needs of LGBTQIA2S+ people: understanding them better to respond more effectively”.
Through this program, the Chair aims to support intersectoral projects co-constructed with citizens and communities that can contribute to the production of knowledge relevant to the various dimensions of sustainable health.
Twenty-three eligible applications from a variety of disciplines were assessed by independent evaluation committees made up of members of the scientific community and citizens. At the end of this process, 9 scholarships and 4 grants, totalling $349,500, will be awarded to outstanding candidates.
Congratulations, Pre Bernard!
Source: Sustainable Health Research Chair
Photo credits: Martin Roy, Communications Department, Université Laval
Mir Abolfazl Mostafavi awarded Canada Research Chair in Intelligent and Inclusive Cities and Mobilities
Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi is a researcher at Cirris, a full professor in the Department of Geomatics at Université Laval and a member of the Centre de recherche en données et intelligence géospatiales (CRDIG). He was recently awarded the Canada Research Chair in Intelligent and Inclusive Cities and Mobilities (Level 1), whose objective is to characterize the barriers that exist in the city and in buildings, to understand the interactions between people with disabilities and their environment, and to develop tools and methods for building more intelligent and inclusive cities. The Chair’s activities began in May 2023.
In Canada, 27% of the population aged 15 and over claim to live with a perceptual, cognitive or motor disability. For these people, there are many disabling situations, particularly when it comes to getting around town to take part in the various activities of daily life. In order to develop mobility solutions and environments adapted to all, innovations from the geomatic sciences can be put to good use.
The award of these chairs is both a recognition of the quality of the work carried out by the researchers, and a guarantee of recurring financial support for several years.
The entire Cirris community offers its most sincere congratulations!
To find out more about the research activities of Prof. Mostafavi’s team, watch this short video (in French):
When technology makes cities more accessible – Université Laval at the heart of our lives