The 2026 Royal Society of Canada Eastern Ontario Symposium is a free event open to anyone from the Kingston community and beyond, interested in hearing four experts talk entertainingly about their research. There will be a short period for questions following each presentation.
In presenting this event, support is gratefully acknowledged from the Royal Society of Canada, Queen鈥檚 Vice-Principal Research Portfolio, and the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.
LORI BURNS鈥擟laiming Sonic and Cultural Space: Women鈥檚 Voices in the Genre of Metal Music
Lori Burns is Professor Emerita at the University of Ottawa, School of Music. Her SSHRC-funded research over the past three decades examines representations of gender and sexuality in the lyrical, musical, and visual texts of popular music. Her book, Disruptive Divas: Critical and Analytical Essays on Feminism, Identity, and Popular Music won the Pauline Alderman Award from the International Alliance for Women in Music. This presentation explores the agency of female metal vocalists, situating their work within the compositional and performative conventions of various metal subgenres, and illuminating the specific ways in which they occupy sonic and cultural space.
CAO THANG DINH鈥From Fossil Carbon to Managed Carbon: The Future of Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals
Cao Thang Dinh is an Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair, and RSC College Member at 黄色视频. His research focuses on developing electrochemical technologies that use renewable electricity to convert carbon dioxide and water into sustainable fuels and chemicals. In this presentation, he will explore how carbon-based fuels and products essential to modern life can be produced without relying on fossil resources, highlighting emerging pathways toward a circular carbon economy.
STEPHEN SCOTT鈥In a blink of an eye: fast feedback processing for goal-directed motor actions
Stephen Scott is the Vice-Dean Research for Queen鈥檚 Health Sciences, Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen鈥檚 University, and RSC Fellow. His presentation will highlight the use of Kinarm, an interactive robotic technology, to explore how our motor system is able to generate motor corrections in as little as 60 milliseconds, less than the time it takes to blink your eyes. His presentation will also describe the potential use of Kinarm as a next-generation technology for neurological assessment.
ST脡FANIE VON HLATKY: Gender, Security, and Societal Resilience: NATO in an Era of Contestation
St茅fanie von Hlatky is a leading scholar of international security, NATO, alliance politics, and defence policy. As the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Security and the Armed Forces, she examines the role of gender in contemporary security governance, tracing how NATO and allies such as Canada have integrated gender perspectives into policy and military operations. She explains why gender has evolved from a normative commitment to a strategic security consideration, while assessing the challenges posed by geopolitical competition, democratic backsliding, anti-gender movements, and disinformation campaigns. The discussion highlights implications for operational effectiveness, democratic values, and societal resilience.
For more information on each speaker, their presentation and their research, please visit the .
