Carlos Silva, a professor in Université de Montréal’s Department of Physics and director of the Courtois Institute, has been appointed to a Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) expert panel tasked with examining Canada’s position in the advanced materials sector.
Conducted at the request of the National Research Council of Canada, the assessment will seek to answer a central question: What is the state of Canada’s advanced materials ecosystem, and how can the country benefit from the rapidly growing global demand in this field? The final report is expected in 2027.
Advanced materials include materials that are designed or modified to outperform conventional materials. Examples include carbon fibre composites, nanomaterials and certain polymers used in transportation, manufacturing and advanced technologies.
Expertise at the intersection of physics and materials science
Carlos Silva’s research focuses on the optical and electronic properties of advanced materials. A specialist in ultrafast and nonlinear spectroscopy, he studies interactions between light and matter in systems such as organic semiconductors, quantum materials and photonic materials.
Since 2023, he has led the Courtois Institute, which brings together specialists from several disciplines to conduct research on matter, new materials, quantum physics and artificial intelligence.
The expert panel’s work is intended to provide decision-makers with an evidence-based picture of Canada’s position and the opportunities to be seized in a field where international competition is intensifying. The project is supported by the Government of Canada through the Strategic Science Fund.
