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
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.