Research Nova Scotia has awarded a total of $988,750 to master’s and doctoral students to help advance disease detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, strengthen Nova Scotia’s health care delivery system, improve care for vulnerable populations, and prevent negative impacts to health and wellbeing.
“Our role in strengthening health care in Nova Scotia is to harness the imagination and expertise of the research community to help solve challenges that influence Nova Scotians’ health,” says Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia. “The Scotia Scholars Award supports students who are contributing to health research now and who will help inform health care in the future.”
This year, 22 master’s and 14 doctoral students received a Scotia Scholars Award.
Recipients’ projects span a broad range of topics including mental health, Lyme Disease, cancers, chronic disease, frailty, and health and wellbeing of infants, children, and youth. Several projects focus on addressing health inequities among vulnerable populations such as Black women, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals experiencing disabilities.
Students from Acadia University, Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, NSCAD University, and Saint Mary’s University received funding.
“The Scotia Scholars Award has been an immense support for my research into the complex relationships between mental health and substance use,” says Andy Kim, recipient of a 2022/23 Scotia Scholars Master’s Award and a 2024/25 Scotia Scholars Doctoral Award, from Dalhousie University. “This funding not only advances academic knowledge, but also supports students across health research fields, improving the care provided to our communities.”
Funding for the Scotia Scholars Award is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.
Healthy People and Health Care Systems is one of Research Nova Scotia’s missions. Learn more about its missions and mission-oriented strategy.