Sask. researcher first Canadian to be awarded Royal Astronomical Society honour
A University of Saskatchewan professor and her research on the aurora is being recognized internationally.
Kathryn McWilliams, a professor in the department of physics, is the first Canadian to be awarded an honourary fellowship from the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) of the United Kingdom.
“It’s such an amazing surprise and it’s really humbling,” McWilliams said.
In 1992, McWilliams helped build the first SuperDARN radar site east of Saskatoon as a summer student.
Now, McWilliams is the director of SuperDARN Canada.
SuperDarn is a network of scientists in 10 countries who use radar to study the earth’s upper atmosphere.
For years, McWilliams has been researching the aurora.
“The big question is ‘What causes the Aurora?’ … We work with partners around the world — space agencies, satellite missions, other ground-based instruments — and we try to put together pieces of the puzzle,” she told CTV News.
McWilliams said the “ultimate goal” is to predict the aurora, similar to a weather forecast.
While the colours of the Northern Lights are beautiful, the aurora can impact power usage.
By being able to forecast the aurora, communities can better handle the power outages that can sometimes come with the Northern Lights, according to McWilliams.
“And once we understand the physics, and what’s going on through that whole big complicated system, hopefully we can start to better understand how it affects satellite and surges in power grids,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.