The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has partnered with the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS) in awarding the Garfield Weston Awards for Northern Research. Through this partnership, the Foundation offers premier awards to Masters and PhD students who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership in northern natural science research.

ACUNS represents Canada’s northern research community through its over 40 member universities, colleges, and organizations with academic interests across Canada.  For 29 years the Canadian Northern Studies Trust, administered through ACUNS, has offered student awards to promote the conduct of exceptional, northern-based research in all disciplines. ACUNS also works closely with other agencies, institutions and donors concerned with education and scientific activity in the North.

The Garfield Weston Awards for Northern Research have been extremely successful.  As the largest privately funded student awards that are specifically targeted for northern research in Canada, these awards have significantly raised the profile of northern research nationally and encouraged top-level graduate students to select a northern focus for their theses. Get to know some of our past Garfield Weston Award recipients.

Each year seven Masters students (one year award) and seven Doctoral students (two year award) are selected on the basis of academic excellence and demonstrated commitment to the north. Successful recipients demonstrate an understanding of how their research contributes to northern scholarship and are willing to promote in a variety of ways public interest in the importance of northern scientific endeavors. Recipients are encouraged to present their research results at academic meetings and conferences.

For example: Biologist, Suzanne Tank, a PhD candidate from Simon Fraser University

Suzanne’s research investigates the effects of climate warming on food webs in lakes in the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories. The funding has allowed her to spend more time in the north collecting samples, in the lab analyzing results, and more time to write papers and attend scientific conferences to share her findings.

For example: Biologist, Paul Smith, a PhD candidate from Carleton University

Paul’s research investigates the ecology of shorebirds in the Canadian Arctic. Shorebirds are among the most diverse and abundant birds in Nunavut, where Smith has focused his research for the last eight years.

Research results have been integrated into the monitoring and management of shorebird populations.   In conjunction with the Canadian Wildlife Service Paul has helped to establish protocols for studying the reproduction of Arctic shorebirds were implemented at summer research camps.

The Garfield Weston Awards for Northern Research are a key example of how the Foundation has worked well with a partner, ACUNS, to make significant progress in this part of our mandate.

There is obvious success in inspiring the work of the students themselves, but the engagement in and excitement about northern research goes far beyond the students. These students represent the best and the brightest of what will be the next generation and through their northern work with others will extend the reach and impact of the Garfield Weston Awards for Northern Research widely and for many years.

Find out more about the Foundation’s support for Science in Canada’s North.