This past year has been another extraordinary one for Perimeter Institute! It caps off my term as Director here and also 25 years of transforming a bold idea into a world-leading centre for research, training, and outreach. There is so much to celebrate. The building hums with life – groundbreaking research, dynamic conferences, and exceptional students all serve as constant reminders of what we have built together. Let me share just a few highlights from the past year.
This summer marked the graduation of the 15th class of Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) master’s students. Since its launch in 2009, in partnership with the University of Waterloo, PSI has become a graduate program unlike any other. This year’s incoming class, drawn from across Canada and around the world, achieved a 50% gender balance – a reflection of Perimeter’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment. PSI is widely regarded as one of the premier theoretical physics training programs globally, and the record number of applicants in 2023/24 underscores its exceptional reputation. It has been a privilege to meet the latest cohort of young minds and future physicists.
To celebrate 15 years of PSI, we hosted a three-day alumni reunion in June. It was a delight to see the diverse career paths of our graduates, spanning academia, artificial intelligence, data science, and leadership in the quantum industry. Our alumni embody Perimeter’s ethos, making transformative contributions across a wide range of fields.
Our outreach programs have expanded in 2023/24 as well. We brought Perimeter’s educational resources and GoPhysics! programming to remote and Indigenous communities, helping bridge gaps in access to cutting-edge pedagogy. Building on the success of last year’s Quantum 101 YouTube series, this summer we debuted Cosmology 101, again brilliantly hosted by Katie Mack and reaching an even broader audience. This year, our Outreach team’s remarkable work earned the American Physical Society’s Excellence in Physics Education Award – a well-deserved honour – and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the team.
Meanwhile, Perimeter’s research programs continue to push the boundaries of discovery. You’ll read some of the highlights in the pages of this report. The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration revealed the polarized light from the black hole at the centre of our galaxy for the first time. Quantum information researchers revealed fundamental new relationships between quantum error-correcting codes and complexity. Advances in quantum causal inference are bridging foundational insights with practical applications. This is just a sample of the great research done at Perimeter in the past year.
Of course, at the heart of the Institute’s remarkable progress is the continued generous support of our public and private partners. This year, both the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario renewed funding for Perimeter, providing a solid foundation for the years ahead. Our founder, Mike Lazaridis, has deepened his commitment by pledging up to $30 million in matching funds to attract new donations, inspiring others to support Perimeter’s mission. Donors like Paul and Cathy Cotton, who funded six GoPhysics! workshops in 2023/24, are instrumental in helping us expand our impact. To all our supporters, we extend our deepest thanks.
Attracting exceptional talent is central to Perimeter’s mission, and recruiting new faculty is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role as Director. Next year, we will welcome two new faculty members, Michael Borinsky and Mayuko Yamashita, whose research bridges theoretical physics and pure mathematics in exciting new ways. We are also strengthening institutional collaborations with the addition of two new associate faculty members in quantum matter: Annabelle Bohrdt (jointly appointed with the University of Waterloo) and Wenjie Ji (with McMaster University). Further, we will welcome quantum gravity researcher Aldo Riello as our newest teaching faculty member. These brilliant recruits will further enrich Perimeter’s vibrant research community.
Next year, Perimeter will celebrate its 25th anniversary – a milestone that reflects the vision and dedication of countless individuals. We have an entire year of celebrations planned, including cross-country events, new educational resources, and a week-long festival open to all. This will be an opportunity to open our doors, renew partnerships across the country, and further strengthen the physics and innovation ecosystems that visionaries throughout Canada have worked so hard to establish.
Since Perimeter’s founding, I have had the privilege of contributing to its growth in various leadership roles, culminating in these past six years as Director. I am deeply grateful to all who have supported the Institute and my journey here – especially Mike Lazaridis, whose vision and generosity made this dream possible. I also want to thank the current Board Chair, Mike Serbinis, and our entire Board, as well as my many exceptional colleagues, for their advice, support, and dedication.
As I conclude my term as Director, I am honoured to pass the baton to Marcela Carena, Perimeter’s new Executive Director. A scientist of extraordinary reputation, Marcela is poised to lead the Institute into an exciting new chapter. I speak for all my colleagues here when I say we are eager to work alongside her and help bring the Institute forward to unexplored new horizons.
Perimeter has come a long way, and we have achieved a great deal. But as we prepare to celebrate 25 years of discovery, my thoughts turn to the future. Perimeter’s story is still being written, and our potential is boundless. Certainly, the best is yet to come. I hope you’ll join us on this exciting journey.