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Nicholas Cowan. Credit: McGill University. Nicolas Cowan, a professor at McGill University and a member of both iREx and the McGill Space Institute, is one of the finalists for the 2021 Relève Scientifique du Québec Award, an award that aims to highlight the commitment and excellence in research of an individual here and 40 years. age or younger. Nick has been a Professor in the Departments of Physics and Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University since 2015. He specializes in astrobiology and mainly studies the surface and atmosphere of exoplanets. He is particularly interested in the climate of those planets outside our Solar System. The researcher primarily uses space and ground-based telescopes to collect and analyze data that he uses to study the characteristics of various exoplanets. More specifically, the data seeks to measure the reflectance of clouds, detect the presence of greenhouse gases through the infrared signature of the atmosphere, and the transport of heat, i.e. winds. This data is used to create surface and temperature maps of exoplanets, a method commonly referred to as exo-mapping. Studying the climate of exoplanets also allows us to learn a lot about that of our planet, Earth. Nick’s commitment to the research community is particularly demonstrated by his participation on several NASA and Canadian Space Agency committees to advance the study of planetary climates and contribute to the design of future space missions to study exoplanets. In addition to his work as a researcher, Nick is also involved in the Astronomy in Indigenous Communities programme, which aims to attract Indigenous youth to pursue a career in STEM. iREx is proud to congratulate Nicolas Cowan on this distinction. About the Relève Scientifique du Québec award The Relève scientifique du Québec award is given to an individual aged 40 or younger who has distinguished himself for the excellence of his research and who demonstrates the ability to establish and maintain constructive and lasting links with the research community. All disciplines are recognized for this award. One recipient and two finalists are selected each year.

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