U of G Researchers Achieve Record High in Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

A graphic for the Vanier scholars that includes photos of the Vanier scholars

 

PhD candidates in integrative biology and human and animal health have received Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, one of the most prestigious doctoral awards in Canada. 

Five researchers from the University of Guelph will receive the 2024 Vanier scholarships, which provide $50,000 annually for up to three years—a record number of Vanier honours for U of G in one year. 

Recipients include: 

  • Alexandria Cosby, a PhD student in the Department of Integrative Biology, is studying how environmental changes and social behaviours affect the foraging of endangered little brown bats to aid in their conservation. 

  • Catherine Hall, a PhD student in the Department of Psychology, is exploring the diversity within the disability community and the experiences of using mobility aids to challenge and expand current understanding and examine societal design impacts. 

  • Shayla Jackson, a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology, is studying how predator size, latitude, and breeding status influence movement across Ontario and tracking coyotes on Fogo Island to aid in conserving large predator and at-risk prey populations. 

  • Sujani Rathnayake, a PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, is researching the mechanisms of mycotoxin detoxification in Canadian wheat by studying proteins that respond to vomitoxin, aiming to identify detoxifying genes to develop resistant wheat varieties. 

  • Linda-Paola Sosa Hernandez, a PhD student in the Department of Psychology, is researching how behavioural, physiological, and experiential emotion dynamics within relationships, such as families, help children develop strong emotion regulation skills to improve mental health and relationships. 

Read the full news release on the U of G News site: U of G Researchers Awarded Record Number of Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship