Présentation, mission et objectifs

Overview, mission and objectives

PRESENTATION

Created in 1989, the Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie (GRIL: Interuniversity research group in limnology) is a research group in fundamental and applied limnology. Members currently number 64 researchers from eleven Québec universities, together with over 200 graduate students, postdocs and research assistants. The GRIL is considered one of Canada’s major centers of research in freshwater ecology. Its members explore many aspects of lake and river ecosystems, including the St-Lawrence River.

GRIL annual Symposium 2019

GRIL is an FQRNT-funded (Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies) strategic research cluster. It brings together research teams and laboratories in the field of limnology from ten Québec universities : Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, McGill University, Concordia University, Institut national de recherche scientifique-Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Université de Sherbrooke, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Université Laval, Université du Québec en Outaouais and Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

MISSION

• Facilitate novel and cutting-edge research on freshwaters by answering fundamental questions and paradigms in the aquatic sciences and by studying local and regional problems associated with climatic and environmental change, including those related to human activities.
• Serve as a platform to stimulate synergy and collaboration among its members.
• Provide easy access to high-level infrastructure and technical resources.
• Foster training of highly qualified personnel, ensuring that they are equipped to rise to the future challenges in their research area.

OBJECTIVES

• Assist its members and the various actors engaged with Québec’s freshwaters in the study of complex questions relating to aquatic ecosystems, at regional to global scales, by enabling integrated approaches, the collaboration of researchers from multiple disciplines and the use of cutting-edge technologies.
• Promote the professional and academic development of its members, especially new researchers, and to facilitate their integration within national and international research networks.
• Offer members and their collaborators access to services, human resources and major infrastructure that are essential to achieve their research goals, including specialized analytical laboratories, research stations and the research vessel Lampsilis.
• Train researchers and highly qualified personnel by offering our students and postdocs the opportunity to work in a dynamic and stimulating environment, including multi-disciplinary approaches.
• Ensure the dissemination and transfer of knowledge to the potential users of research results.