Congratulations to the CRMR students on their achievements at the 2026 Faculty Scholarships Ceremony!
On March 25, the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics (FFGG) celebrated student excellence and the commitment of its donors during its annual ceremony, bringing together nearly 160 people.
Dean Nancy Gélinas highlighted the importance of philanthropic support, which is essential to students’ success, perseverance, and engagement.
We would like to extend our special congratulations to the students who have distinguished themselves this year. Among the awards presented:
The Audace and Innovation Award – Produits Forestiers D&G ($10,000) was presented to Louis‑David Giasson in recognition of the relevance of his master’s research. Currently a PhD student in Wood Engineering and Bio-based Materials under the supervision of Alain Cloutier and Isabelle Duchesne (Natural Resources Canada, Laurentian Forestry Centre), Louis-David focuses his research on the valorization of wood damaged by forest fires and insect epidemics. His work particularly aims at manufacturing particleboards from this resource, thereby contributing to the emergence of a new raw material, reducing pressure on healthy forests, and promoting sustainable forest ecosystem management.
The Rayonnement Award in Wood Engineering ($1,500) was awarded to Léo Bonnetain for his master’s project Design of an Insulating Structural Product for Commercial and Multiplex Construction, supervised by Pierre Blanchet and Véronic Landry. His work aims to develop a protection system for Structural Insulating Stacking Block Panels (SIPBEs), extending the durability of wood while maintaining its properties and aesthetics, and contributing to sustainable and innovative construction.
The Citizen of the World Scholarship ($20,000) was awarded to Farzaneh Masoodian. As part of her master’s in Wood Engineering and Bio-based Materials under the supervision of Bertrand Laratte, she is conducting a research project titled: MSc – GES 3: Developing Contrasting Scenarios for the Evolution of the Canadian Building Stock. Her work analyzes the impact of material choices, including wood, concrete, and steel, on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the building stock level. Using modeling and material flow analysis approaches, she aims to better understand the trajectories of the building sector and identify levers for a transition toward more sustainable and circular practices.
The FPInnovations Training and Research Support Fund Scholarship – Master’s and PhD levels of CAD 8,000 has been awarded to Tiam Mahmoudian, a PhD student in Wood Engineering and Bio-based Materials, under the supervision of Alain Cloutier and co-supervision of Aziz Laghdir (SEREX). Her project aims to model moisture transfers in particleboard and MDF panels intended for outdoor use, in order to better understand their durability and hygroscopic behavior. She evaluates their mechanical properties before and after accelerated aging, analyzes their dimensional stability under temperature and humidity variations, determines the sorption isotherms related to their internal structure, and develops a multiphysics model to predict their behavior under real-world conditions.
The Resolute Forest Products Scholarship in Sustainable Forest Management ($5,000) has been awarded to Maimoona Birjees. A PhD student in forest sciences under the supervision of Evelyne Thiffault and Nelson Thiffault (Natural Resources Canada), she studies the decline of white spruce (Picea glauca) in the boreal forests of eastern Canada, analyzing the causes of chlorosis and their links to soil nutrition, silvicultural practices, and climate change.
The FPInnovations Scholarship ($5,000) was awarded to Coralie Offroy, a master’s student under the supervision of Alexander Salenikovich and co-supervised by Christian Dagenais. Coralie studies the fire resistance of metal connections in mass timber structures, combining experimental tests with numerical modeling. Her project provides essential data to ensure the safety of mass timber buildings and guide the evolution of design standards.
The ASMAC Scholarship ($3,000) was awarded to Lucie Dehon in recognition of the excellence of her research on bio-based materials. A PhD student in Wood and Bio-based Materials Engineering under the supervision of Véronic Landry and Noemie-Manuelle Dorval Courchesne (McGill), Lucie is developing fully formaldehyde-free bio-based adhesives from proteins derived from agro-industrial by-products. Her goal is to create a high-performance, environmentally friendly bio-adhesive for composite wood panels.
The Quebec Forest Industry Council (CIFQ) Scholarship ($2,000) was awarded to Félix Coulaud, a master’s student under the supervision of Alexander Salenikovich. Félix studies sandwich composite beams made of an expanded polystyrene insulating core and non-graded white pine faces, to characterize their essential mechanical properties. His project ensures the quality and structural safety of these innovative products and provides data for modeling and future designs.
The Quebec Forest Industry Council (CIFQ) Scholarship ($2,000) was awarded to Mariel Alejandra Zevallos Luna, a PhD student under the supervision of Véronic Landry and co-supervised by Damase P. Khasa. Her project focuses on developing a starch-based bio-product from agricultural residues to promote early plant germination and establishment on degraded mining sites. By integrating controlled nutrient release systems and beneficial microorganisms, her approach aims to enhance ecosystem resilience and accelerate ecological rehabilitation, particularly under northern conditions.
The Admission Scholarship – Produits Forestiers D&G ($3,000) was awarded to Émile Bréniel Thibault.
We extend our sincere thanks to all donors for their generosity and commitment to student success.
