Scotia Scholars Award – 2021/22 Recipients

The Scotia Scholars Award provides financial support to research trainees with exceptional potential who are engaged in health research at participating Nova Scotia institutions. This award will support the growth, acquisition, and retention of highly skilled individuals who are advancing and translating knowledge in disease detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, strengthening health care delivery systems, caring for vulnerable populations, and promoting better opportunities for future health and wellbeing. Funding for this award is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness

Doctoral / Master’s / Undergraduate

$894,500

Funding

76

Students

9

Institutions

Doctoral Award

The value and duration of the Scotia Scholars Doctoral Award is up to $15,000 per year, renewable for 3 years. Funds were allocated to Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University. The number of awards issued were determined by each university.

Dalhousie University

Charlotte Aelick
Clinical Psychology
Project: Risk Factors and Barriers to Successful Reintegration of Indigenous People in Contact with the Canadian Justice System
Supervisor: Dr. Julie Blais
Amount: $60,000

Christine Ausman
Health
Project: Optimizing patient experience for stroke survivors in a fNIRS neurofeedback intervention with Therapeutic Recreation strategies
Supervisor: Dr. Heather Neyedli
Amount: $60,000.00

Joel Bierer
Medical Research
Project: Inflammation and Ultrafiltration: Enhancing Recovery after Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Supervisor: Dr. Jean Marshall
Amount: $60,000.00

Theresa Gaughan
Health
Project: Probing the nature of motor imagery-based learning for rehabilitation: A brain and behaviour perspective.
Supervisor: Dr. Shaun Boe
Amount: $29,000.00

Taylor Hill
Experimental psychology
Project: Time well spent: Promoting mental health in everyday life
Supervisor: Dr. Sean Mackinnon
Amount: $45,000.00

Ryan Lukic
Health
Project: Changes in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential population impacts on prevalence of future alcohol related illness
Supervisor: Dr. Catherine Mah
Amount: $45,000.00

Dylan Miller
Psychology & Neuroscience
Project: Parasite manipulation of blood metabolite levels to suppress host feeding behaviour
Supervisor: Dr. Shelley Adamo
Amount: $5,000.00

Marie-Claire Wasson
Pathology
Project: Investigation the molecular mechanisms of oncogenic long non-coding RNAs associated with breast cancer stem cells
Supervisor: Dr. Paola Marcato
Amount: $60,000.00

Saint Mary’s University

Gregory Anderson
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Project: Can empathy coaching reduce medical residents’ levels of burnout, job dissatisfaction and turnover intentions over the course of their residency period? A longitudinal study.
Supervisor: Dr. Debra Gilin
Amount: $15,000.00

Seyedehsan Etezad
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Project: Developing an Intervention to Prevent Physician Burnout Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Supervisor: Dr. Debra Gilin
Amount: $15,000.00

Master’s Award

The value and duration of the Scotia Scholars Master’s Award is up to $10,000 per year, renewable for 1 year. Funds were allocated to Acadia University, Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design and Saint Mary’s University. The number of awards issued were determined by each university.

Acadia University

Olivia Cleary
Clinical Psychology
Project: Memory of parent reaction to coming out as LGBTQ+ across decades: Association to mental health, internalized homophobia, and relationship closeness
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Holmberg
Amount: $10,000.00

Noémie Bergeron-Germain
Clinical Psychology
Project: Understanding spatial neglect recovery: An exploration of neural markers of prism adaptation in neurotypical and neurodivergent cohorts.
Supervisors: Dr. Anne-Sophie Champod
Amount: $12,500.00

Courtney Gosselin
Clinical Psychology
Project: Does self-compassion buffer against PDA-related vigilance in predicting positive sexual minority identity and well-being?
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Holmberg
Amount: $2,500.00

Taylor McAulay
Clinical Psychology
Project:The Role of Attachment Styles in Technology-Based Addictions
Supervisor: Dr. Doug Symons
Amount: $2,500.00

Rhonda McInnis
Clinical Psychology
Project: Examining the Role of Femmephobia as a Situational Risk Factor in Intimate Partner Violence
Supervisor: Dr. Kathryn Bell
Amount: $10,000.00

Taylor Swanburg
Biology
Project: Detecting the spread of invasive mosquitoes and disease potential in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Dr. Neil Kirk Hillier
Amount: $10,000.00

Atlantic School of Theology

Dawn-Lea Greer
Divinity
Project: Spiritual Care is not just for Christians. Working collaboratively to increase the health of the Community in the Western Zone with Spiritual care
Supervisor: Dr. Jody Clarke
Amount: $10,000.00

Dalhousie University

Brett Allen
Physiology & Biophysics
Project: VPAC receptors as potential targets to treat Cystic Fibrosis lung disease
Supervisor: Dr. Valerie Chappe
Amount: $20,000.00

Hudson Barr
Physiotherapy
Project: Evaluating the Validity of Motor Simulation Theory and Mechanisms of Motor Imagery
Supervisor: Dr. Shaun Boe
Amount: $20,000.00

Alireza Ghasemi Ghodrat
Process Engineering and Applied Science
Project: Textile Embedded Vital Health Signs Monitor
Supervisor: Dr. Ghada Koleilat
Amount: $10,000.00

Shannen Grandy
Microbiology and Immunology
Project: Establishment of long-term Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm on human epithelial cell culture to study host stress and inflammatory responses during chronic infection
Supervisor: Dr. Zhenyu Cheng
Amount: $10,000.00

Theresa Gu
Biomedical Engineering
Project: An angled Ultrasound Endoscope for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Supervisor: Dr. Jeremy Brown
Amount: $20,000.00

Melina Markotjohn
Audiology
Project: Vestigial Orienting in Speech Perception
Supervisor: Dr. Steven Aiken
Amount: $10,000.00

Chelsey McGean
Chemistry
Project: Nanoparticles and Their Application in Drug Delivery and Bacterial Infections
Supervisor: Dr. Peng Zhang
Amount: $20,000.00

Emily Napier
Computer Science
Project: Machine Learning Approach to Analysis of Gait in Parkinson’s Patients
Supervisor: Dr. Sageev Oore
Amount: $10,000.00

Courtney O’Brien
Biomedical Engineering
Project: Development of a semi-synthetic composite hydrogel to model normal as well as chronically infected mucous-microbe-epithelium niches
Supervisor: Dr. Brendan Leung
Amount: $10,000.00

Sarah Scruton
Epidemiology and Applied Health Research
Project: Investigating variations in survival rates for women diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Dr. Robin Urquhart
Amount: $10,000.00

Ruth Shelton
Psychiatry Research
Project: The Impact of Childhood Adversity on Anxiety Disorders in People with Mood Disorders
Supervisor: Dr. Barbara Pavlova
Amount: $10,000.00

Temi Toba-Oluboka
Psychiatry Research
Project: Assessing Clozapine Eligibility in Schizophrenia
Supervisor: Dr. Phil Tibbo
Amount: $20,000.00

Jessica Vickery
Epidemiology and Applied Health Research
Project: Investigating How the Type and Magnitude of Needs Post-Treatmeant Impact Health Care Utilization in Cancer Survivors
Supervisor: Dr. Robin Urquhart
Amount: $10,000.00

Guoqing Yu
Leisure Studies
Project: Leisure recording and savoring as a stress survival strategy
Supervisor: Dr. Susan Hutchinson
Amount: $20,000.00

Mount Saint Vincent University

Allison Britten
School Psychology
Project: How are the Students Doing? An Investigation of Nova Scotian Youth Mental Well-Being
Supervisor: Dr. Krista Ritchie
Amount: $10,000.00

Alexandra Bromley
Applied Human Nutrition
Project: Exploring social justice advocacy in Nova Scotian physicians
Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Brady
Amount: $11,333.33

Laura Gosine
Applied Human Nutrition
Project: Exploring renal nutrition intervention effectiveness in addressing nutritional diagnoses in the behavioural and environmental domain: Striking a balance between clinical outcomes and social determinants of health
Supervisors: Dr. Shannan Grant and Dr. Patty Williams
Amount: $18,833.33

Tongtong Li
Applied Human Nutrition
Project: Sensory Evaluation of Foods Formulated with Seaweeds and Their Effect on Satiety and Food Intake
Supervisor: Dr. Bohdan Luhovyy
Amount: $10,000.00

Rachel Waugh
Applied Human Nutrition
Project: Exploring Weight-focused Evidence Implementation in Dietetic Practice: A National Survey
Supervisor: Dr. Shannan Grant
Amount: $18,833.33

NSCAD University

Amanda Trager
Art Education
Project: BE \ LONGING \ SONG
Supervisor: Dr. April Mandrona
Amount: $20,000.00

Saint Mary’s University

Desiree Elchuk
Applied Psychology (Forensic Stream)
Project: Understanding Young Friends in an Online Sample of Individuals with Sexual Interest in Children
Supervisor: Dr. Skye Stephens
Amount: $2,500.00

Elizabeth Gerhardt
Forensic Psychology
Project: Examining Public Perceptions of Mental Health Interventions (Wellness checks) in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Dr. Meg Ternes
Amount: $6,800.00

Claire Keenan
Applied Psychology (Forensic Stream)
Project: Expectations and Perceptions of Access to Justice from Nova Scotian Justice Involved Women
Supervisor: Dr. Marc Patry
Amount: $6,800.00

Theodore (Ted) Lownie
Applied Science
Project: Investigating collagen fibril buckling resistance with age and in vivo loading
Supervisor: Dr. Samuel Veres
Amount: $6,800.00

Hannah Markham
Applied Health Services Research
Project: Investigating Workplace Trauma in Nova Scotian Nurses
Supervisor: Dr. Kevin Kelloway
Amount: $6,800.00

Jennifer McArthur
Applied Psychology (Forensic Stream)
Project: Cyber dating abuse victimization and the predictors of help seeking behaviors
Supervisor: Dr. Marguerite Ternes
Amount: $6,800.00

Samantha Williams
Applied Psychology (Forensic Stream)
Project: Examining the relationship of psychopathy and indiscriminate arousal in victim-age polymorphic sexual offenders
Supervisor: Dr. Skye Stephens
Amount: $2,500.00

Undergraduate Award

Acadia University

Miranda Amiro
Bachelor of Chemistry, Honours
Project: How do ticks detect repellents? Natural product-based repellents to prevent tick bite and transmission of Lyme disease and other vector borne diseases.
Supervisor: Dr. Nicoletta Faraone
Amount: $1,500

Rikki Clark
Bachelor of Biology, Honours
Project: Exploring the molecular mechanisms by which mastoparan exerts anti-cancer and anti-migration effects on colorectal cancer cell lines in vitro.
Supervisor: Dr. Melanie Power Coombs
Amount: $1,500

Alex Comeau
Bachelor of Science, Biology
Project: Studying the anti-metastatic potential of phloridzin docosahexaenoate (PZ-DHA) on colon cancer.
Supervisor: Dr. Melanie Power Coombs
Amount: $1,500

Courtney Crouse
Bachelor of Kinesiology, Biology
Project: Do female varsity cross-country athletes experience alterations in physiological aerobic performance during ovulation and menstruation phases their menstrual cycle.
Supervisor: Dr. Karen Kendall
Amount: $1,500

Alexandria Delaney
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology
Project: No One Left Behind: Making Connections about Accessibility and the Inclusion of Older Adults in the Village of New Minas.
Supervisor: Dr. Rebecca Casey
Amount: $1,500

Emma Herman
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Project: Are Health Outcomes Related to Valence of the Memories of Coming Out.
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Holmberg and Dr. Karen Blair
Amount: $1,500

Lincoln Inglis
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Project: Developing an intuitive augmented reality feedback system for use with a prosthesis simulator.
Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Blustein
Amount: $1,500

Robin Lauzon
Bachelor of Arts, Politics, Honours
Project: Nova Scotia’s New Telehealth Programs: Mental Health Policy and Rural Nova Scotians.
Supervisor: Dr. Rachel Brickner
Amount: $1,500

Elisabeth Morrison
Bachelor of Kinesiology, Honours
Project: Probing the relationship between frailty, vascular health, and cognitive function in older adults.
Supervisor: Dr. Nicholas Bray
Amount: $1,500

Callum Pufahl
Bachelor of Kinesiology
Project: Understanding the Time Course of Resistance Exercise Induced Muscle Damage in Sarcopenic Women.
Supervisor: Dr. Réne Murphy
Amount: $1,500

Olivia Stevenson
Bachelor of Kinesiology, Honours
Project: Helping Students Help Themselves: Identifying Factors for Success in a Multidimensional Wellness Program.
Supervisor: Dr. Jonathon Fowles
Amount: $2,000

Gina Vaillancourt
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Project: Effectiveness of a new computerized treatment protocol for spatial neglect post stroke.
Supervisor: Dr. Anne Sophie Champod
Amount: $1,500

Sydney Zakutney
Bachelor of Science, Biology
Project: Impact of Stress on Neurogenesis in Zebrafish.
Supervisor: Dr. Brian Wilson
Amount: $1,500

Nova Scotia Community College

Amanda DeLong
CCA, Continuing Care
Project: Rural Health Delivery in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Linda McCallum
Amount: $5,000

Jeffery Goodwin
Community Recreation
Project: Recreation Inventory in Residential Centres for People with Disabilities
Supervisor: Michael Maguire
Amount: $5,000

Andrew MacCulloch
Full Stack Application Development
Project: Demystifying geolocated health data
Supervisor: Dean Tsaltas
Amount: $5,000

St. Francis Xavier University

Akua Amankwah-Poku
Bachelor of Arts
Project: Does Sense of Belonging Impact Help-Seeking for Mental Illness?
Supervisor: Dr. Erin Austen
Amount: $5,000

Shalyn Bona
Bachelor of Arts and Science
Project: Investigating the Thermal and Kinetic Properties of Buffer Solutions for a Model Protein under Cryogenic Conditions
Supervisor: Dr. M. Shajahan Razul
Amount: $5,000

Grace Durling
Bachelor of Science
Project: Investigating the Relationship Between Body-Image and Risky Sexual Behavior in Adolescents
Supervisor: Dr. Kara Thompson
Amount: $5,000

Samantha Fisher
Bachelor of Science
Project: Investigating the Sex Data Gap in Sport Nutrition Research
Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Jamieson
Amount: $5,000

Kealeigh Halliday
Bachelor of Arts and Science
Project: Qualitative Analysis of Patient Experiences During the Transition from the Hospital to the Home
Supervisor: Dr. Christina Holmes
Amount: $5,000

Laura Hughes-McKay
Bachelor of Nursing
Project: Transgender Experiences with Primary Care in Rural Nova Scotia Following the 104 Highway from Truro to New Glasgow to Antigonish
Supervisor: Dr. Deborah Mansell
Amount: $5,000

Grace Kaiser
Bachelor of Science
Project: Antioxidant Activity in a Freeze-Tolerant Insect
Supervisor: Dr. Jantina Toxopeus
Amount: $5,000

Julianna Lavergne
Bachelor of Nursing
Project: Assessment of Pain in Neonates with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome: A Systematic Scoping Review
Supervisor: Dr. Britney Benoit
Amount: $5,000

Anna Mack
Bachelor of Nursing
Project: Mapping the Participant Experience in Controlled Human Infection Model Trials: A Modified Grounded Theory Study
Supervisor: Dr. Donna Halperin and Dr. Scott Halperin
Amount: $5,000

Erin Noftall
Bachelor of Science
Project: Does Lactate Oxidation Consume Heat in Mammals?
Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Kane
Amount: $5,000

Julia Shields
Bachelor of Arts and Science
Project: An Investigation of Food Security Within Nova Scotia’s Refugee Population
Supervisor: Dr. Mahasti Khakpour
Amount: $5,000

Lauren Stienburg
Bachelor of Nursing
Project: A Cross-Sectional, Non-Randomized Pilot Study of User Fee Health Care in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth McGibbon
Amount: $5,000

Chloe Vukosa
Bachelor of Arts and Science
Project: Activity Monitors in Healthcare: Perceived Barriers and Facilitators of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
Supervisor: Dr. Ryan Reid
Amount: $5,000

University of King’s College

Samuel Goldberg
History of Science & Technology and Philosophy
Project: Humanities in Hospital Healthcare: A Study of Books by Heart
Supervisor: Dr. Gordon McOuat
Amount: $5000.00

Abigail Hanson
Bachelor of Arts (History), Certificate in Medical Humanities, and a Certificate in Heritage Studies
Project: The Books by Heart Project
Supervisor: Dr. Gordon McOuat
Amount: $5000.00

Emma Martel
Early Modern Studies and Religious Studies
Project: Pandemic Flu and Maternity Care in Nova Scotia
Supervisor: Dr. Gordon McOuat
Amount: $5000.00