Government of Canada supports most promising student researchers

Canada’s top student researchers, including 10 from Vancouver Island University, have received national awards that will help them hone their research skills and motivate them to pursue careers in science.

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced $138-million in funding for scholarships and fellowships for 6,059 students across Canada from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Of that amount, $71,000 is earmarked for VIU students and graduates under two established NSERC programs: the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) and the Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA). The recipients were selected through independent peer-reviewed evaluations.

“These recipients represent some of Canada’s finest (student) researchers,” said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. “They are advancing our understanding of the universe around us. They are uncovering and exploring new areas of knowledge. They are our trailblazers, driving the innovations of tomorrow. NSERC is proud to support their work and we look forward to their future achievements.”

VIU graduates Michelle Lamarche (Biology and Chemistry) and Erin Rechsteiner (Biology and Geography) each received CGS awards valued at $17,500 each to pursue their master’s degrees. These awards provide financial support to top-ranked applicants in master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering.

Eight VIU students received the USRAs, valued at $4,500 each (topped up by VIU to $6,500). The awards are meant to stimulate students’ interest in research at the undergraduate level and help them gain academic research work experience that complements their studies.

The awards allow the students to work on various research projects for 16 weeks during the summer in VIU laboratories at the Nanaimo campus. They are supervised and mentored by VIU science and technology faculty who have received their own NSERC funding grants, including professors Dr. Erik Krogh and Dr. Chris Gill (chemistry), Dr. Chris Pearce (Fisheries and Aquaculture), Dr. Darren Hannesson (psychology) and Dr. Andy Spencer (Biology).

Carol Bob, a recent grad of VIU’s Fisheries and Aquaculture program, has received her third USRA in chemistry. Bob will spend the summer working in the Department of Chemistry’s Applied Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL) at the Nanaimo campus studying the influence of freshwater chemistry on an invasive algai species.

As part of her research, she’s collecting water samples from Vancouver Island rivers, including the Nanaimo River, Puntledge River (near Courtenay), Englishman River and Little Qualicum River. Bob is working with friend and VIU Biology graduate Jake Etzkorn, who is now a technician for Environment Canada researcher Dr. Max Bothwell at the Pacific Biological Station. They are investigating the relationship between water chemistry and Didymo, a strange form of algae chocking several fresh water rivers.

“The problem with Didymo is that it smothers invertebrates,” explained Bob. “Fish and bugs lay their eggs on the bedrock, but Didymo prevents the eggs from hatching. The algae could also alter the flow of the river. We don’t know much about the factors causing these invasions, but that’s what we hope to discover.”

Bob’s summer work is a continuation of an undergraduate chemistry research project she conducted as a 4th year student at VIU under the supervision of chemistry professor Dr. Erik Krogh. “This project involves high precision measurements for low levels of phosphorus, a limiting nutrient in most freshwater streams. The work can be challenging and requires patience and meticulous work habits. Carol brings an incredible dedication to her work and her enthusiasm for science is inspiring for those around her,” said Krogh.

Originally from Nanoose First Nations or Snaw-Naw-As, Bob returned to university as a mature student. In her final year at VIU, she was the driving force behind the Student Chemistry Club and its ancilliary group ACE (Awareness of Climate Change Through Education). ACE developed a 40-minute powerpoint presentation for Grade 10 students about the science of climate change, which included information about greenhouse gases, global warming and how students can reduce their carbon footprint.

“We are very proud of students like Carol Bob and others who have received these prestigious national NSERC awards,” said VIU President Ralph Nilson. “Their success is a huge credit to our faculty, our programs and the students’ own hard work and dedication.”

Other USRA student recipients at VIU for 2009 are Megan Willis (chemistry and mathematics), Katherine Rolheiser (fisheries and aquaculture), Cameron Newhook (chemistry), Erin McCauley (biology and chemistry), Gwen Lightly (psychology), Riley Glew (biology and psychology), and Daniel McNeill (fisheries and aquaculture).