Celebrating a New Chapter: CCMPS Launch
Faculty, staff, students and friends of the University of Guelph gathered in Waasamowin to celebrate the official launch of the College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences on October 16, 2025. The event marked a significant milestone for the university — a moment to recognize the college’s deep disciplinary roots and to look ahead to new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and impact.
“This new college brings [the University of Guelph’s] strengths together in a way that reflects where we are, but also where we’re going,” said Dr. Stacey Scott, interim dean of CCMPS, during opening remarks for the launch.
“The creation of CCMPS involves a recognition that academic disciplines are increasingly porous, and that some of the most important questions we face today – in health, in technology, in climate, in society – demand answers that draw from multiple ways of thinking.”
In part, while a celebration, the launch was also a call to action: to continue building on U of G strengths, to support Guelph’s students in a changing world and to ensure the College’s work remains relevant and responsive to society’s needs.
Provost and vice-president academic Dr. Bill Rosehart also spoke at the event, with emcee duties led by associate dean, research and graduate studies Dr. Monica Cojocaru. Together, they reflected on the college’s role within the university’s mission to improve life, and the opportunities ahead for research, teaching, and student engagement.
A ceremonial cake cutting followed, with Rosehart, Scott and Gryph, marking the occasion alongside attendees.
The launch coincided with the college’s Annual Research Day Poster Competition, featuring outstanding work from graduate students and undergraduate research assistants. This year’s winners were:
- First Place: Izabela Savić, PhD student, supervisor: Dr. Daniel Gillis. Poster: Linguistic authorship analysis on the dark web.
- Second Place: Michael Capperauld, master’s student, supervisor: Dr. Derek O’Flaherty. Poster: Simple diaminonucleoside-mediated nonenzymatic ligation of oligonucleotides.
- Third Place: Nicholas Horton, PhD student, supervisor; O’Flaherty. Poster: Novel Disulfide-containing Linkages of Pyrimidine Nucleobases to Solid-supports.
From left: Dr. Daniel Gillis, CCMPS Director of Advancement and Strategic Engagement and supervisor of competition winner Izabela Savić, Izabela Savić, Nicholas Horton, Scott, Michael Capperauld, Cojocaru.
The event also featured a Graduate Preview Day, where prospective students explored our thesis- and course-based master’s programs across CCMPS four academic units: Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics.
Nearby, the Student Excellence and Showcase highlighted the vibrant student community within the college. Attendees connected with undergraduate and graduate student groups, and learned about outreach programs including Go ENG Girl, Creative Encounters, and BattleSTEM.
Throughout the afternoon, guests enjoyed light refreshments, interactive prize draws, and networking opportunities. Gryph, U of G’s beloved mascot, made an appearance for photos and high-fives, adding a touch of fun to the festivities.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to the students, staff, and faculty who made this event possible. For additional photos, please visit the CCMPS Intranet.