About the RQMP

The science and technology of advanced materials aims to design, synthesize and characterize new materials and material assemblies, and to adapt their properties to specific applications. Available technologies now makes possible to control the synthesis of materials at the atomic scale, in order to modulate extremely accurately their physical, electrical and magnetic properties. This capability allows us to consider significant technological breakthroughs in fields ranging from telecommunications to health sciences.

The RQMP gathers sixty physicists, chemists and engineers from McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke and École Polytechnique de Montréal, who supervise over 300 graduate students, 70 postdoctoral fellows and 30 professional and research associates. Together, they contribute to the establishment and development of a national center of excellence devoted to the science and technology of advanced materials.

The RQMP is a “Regroupement stratégique” or “Strategic cluster” recognized and funded by Quebec government's “Fonds québécois de recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT)” and by McGill, Montreal and Sherbrooke Universities, and the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal.

• Mission and objectives

• Activity report

• Administrative structure

• Student community

• Contacts

Mission and objectives

Putting together skills and resources ensure the excellence of the RQMP on two fronts: research and training. By creating a rich and dynamic environment, fueled by the skills of sixty research teams working together with collaborators from other centers and networks in Quebec , Canada and abroad, the RQMP maintains a high and internationally recognized standard. Our success depends first, on the close collaboration between theorists and numerical analysts, and experimentalists, and on the other hand, on the integration of fundamental and applied research.

We aim to ensure excellence of our researchers by supporting their capacities for research and teaching. The first part of our mandate is to support our central research infrastructure. RQMP has developed a comprehensive and unique infrastructure for advanced materials research including, synthesis, characterization, nano-and micro-fabrication and high-performance computing. Theses facilities are at the heart of our research; our mandate is to insure that both personal and material resources necessary for optimal short and long term operation are available. These facilities are accessible to external users from the academic, governmental and industrial communities. Our mandate also involve the animation of our scientific community through activities complementary to research and training (seminars, conferences, colloquia, industrial visits, ...) as well as measures to encourage collaborations and synergy.

Our five key goals are:

• To increase the extent and impact of research and training

• To increase the visibility and international impact of research conducted in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology in Quebec

• To maintain and expand research collaborations between various partners from academia, government and industry in Quebec , Canada and abroad; to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology

• Along with academic institutions, to develop an integrated curriculum of training in advanced materials, nanoscience and nanotechnology

• To diversifying the sources and increase the level of funding for research on advanced materials by taking advantage of complementary expertise and facilities within the group.

Research program:

The RQMP research program is articulated around three areas of research:

• Nanomaterials: molecular electronics, photovoltaics and luminescence, coatings and thin films

• Quantum materials: superconductivity, magnetism, quantum computing, spintronics, two-dimensional transport

• Tools and methods: for modeling, synthesis and characterization

Activity report   To learn more about us, download our 2003-2008 activity report (pdf - 5 MB)

Administrative structure

• Executive committee:

The Executive Committee (CE) is the decision-making instance of the RQMP. It is composed of six researchers, two on each campus, including the directors of local research centers. Their role is to:
- establish the guidelines of the RQMP
- establish the link between the RQMP and its members at local research centers
- ensure that the activities of RQMP meet the needs of the scientific and industrial communities
- coordinate major grant applications

Members of the CE are:
- Vincent Aimez, University of Sherbrooke, Director of the Nanofabrication and nanocharacterization research center (CRN²)
- Peter Grütter, McGill University, Director of RQMP, 2007-2011
- Hong Guo, McGill University, Director of the Center for the Physics of Materials (CPM)
- Ludvik Martinu, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Associate Director of the Thin Film Research Laboratory (GCM)
- Sjoerd Roorda, University of Montreal, Director of the Thin Film Research Laboratory (GCM)
- Louis Taillefer, Université de Sherbrooke, Directeur du Centre de recherche sur les matériaux quantiques (CRMQ)

• Committee on Education:

The Committee on Education (CEd) shall examine ways to increase the value added by the RQMP to the education and training of graduate students. Examples of RQMP related teaching activities include accessibility and coordination of courses offered at our four universities, training workshops and summer schools. The CEd reports to the CE. Members of the CEd are:

- André-Marie Tremblay (président), Université de Sherbrooke
- Aashish Clerk, Université McGill
- Michel Côté, Université de Montréal
- Sébastien Francoeur, École Polytechnique
- Richard Leonelli, Université de Montréal

• Advisory Committee

To come

• Grandes conférences du Québec sur les matériaux de pointe

Twice a year, a renowned scientist is invited to comment on the status and future of a growing reserch and development field. These visits are accompanied by lectures, periods of discussions and meetings to promote maximum interaction between the speaker and our members and students.

Organizing Committee:

- Richard Arès, Université de Sherbrooke
- Carlos Silva, Université de Montréal
- Thomas Szkopek, Université McGill

Student community

The "Regroupement québécois étudiant sur les matériaux de pointe ( RQÉMP )" is the student organization within RQMP. The RQEMP Organizing Committee is composed of six graduate students, two from each of our principal university campuses: Sherbrooke, McGill and Montréal. The organization of an annual summer school is the central element of its mandate.

Consult the RQEMP Web site: