Discoveries in the Making
The breadth and range of the University of Ottawa's research - from cardiovascular disease to second-language acquisition - impacts on the daily lives of Canadians. Read our short profiles to find out about current research and what could be the next major breakthrough.
The Mathematics of Language
Where can a PhD in mathematics take you? To a better understanding of the linguistic situation in Canada according to Charles Castonguay, adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The only professor from the Faculty of Science to receive a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Prof. Castonguay examines the evolution of linguistic groups particularly in the Montreal region. His mathematical perspective allows him to quantify linguistic assimilation and follow the tendencies. His work has helped win the fight for the Montfort Hospital, the only Francophone hospital in Ottawa that was on the brink of closing in the late 1990s. Recently, his work figured prominently in defending, in court, the City of Ottawa’s linguistic policies against the coalition Canadians for Language Fairness.
Charles Castonguay, adjunct professor
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
613-562-5800, ext. 2030
Caston@uOttawa.ca
