The Weston Family Awards in Northern Research
About The Weston Family Awards
The Weston Family Awards in Northern Research
Since 2007, The Weston Family Awards in Northern Research (previously The W. Garfield Weston Awards in Northern Research) have provided unparalleled support to young scientists in Canada pursuing research in Canada’s North. Funded by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, these annual awards are some of the most prestigious in the country for students pursuing a master’s degree, PhD or postdoctoral fellowship. Over 270 early-career researchers have been selected to receive an award since the program’s inception, forming a community of Weston Family Northern Scientists who are at the forefront of northern scholarship and who are helping shape a better future for Canada and the world.
Weston Family Award winners undertake research projects across a broad spectrum of fields and disciplines in the natural sciences, including studies of northern ecosystems, biodiversity, flora and fauna, meteorology, oceanography, glaciology, geography and environmental studies.
COVID-19: Information and resources
Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions to northern regions in Canada have been imposed to reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable northern communities. While this is a critical step in ensuring the safety and well-being of all, many research permits have been suspended as a result and upcoming trips to northern regions for fieldwork, research, and community engagement have been cancelled or postponed.
Below is a link to helpful resources and information compiled by ArcticNet regarding travel restrictions to northern regions and various regional updates. Please continue to consult local, provincial/territorial and federal websites and information from public health officials to stay up to date on the latest recommendations surrounding travel, research activities and public safety.
Resources from ArcticNet: https://arcticnet.ulaval.ca/covid-19-update
Meet current award winners
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McKenzie KuhnUniversity of Alberta
2018-2019 doctoral awardMcKenzie Kuhn
University of Alberta
McKenzie Kuhn is a doctoral student at the University of Alberta studying the rate of methane emissions from lakes in the Northwest Territories and northern parts of Alberta.
Her research could lead to important insights into how these natural sources of methane – a potent greenhouse gas – contribute to greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and how these emissions will change over time. The results could help government and policy makers in Canada’s North set more specific reduction targets for carbon emissions.
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Allison PattersonMcGill University
2018-2019 doctoral awardAllison Patterson
McGill University
Allison Patterson is a doctoral student at McGill University studying the movement patterns and behaviour of thick-billed murres, an abundant species of Arctic seabird, off the coast of Coats Island in Nunavut.
Thick-billed murres have been identified as a priority species within the Arctic. By using biologgers – a type of electronic sensor tracker that is attached to an animal and used to collect information such as location, traveling speeds, local environmental conditions, and more – Allison is able to track the movement of these birds during the winter and monitor their behaviour during the ten months of the year that they are at sea.
This work is part of an international collaboration with researchers from Denmark, France and Canada that is helping inform government ministries, such as Parks Canada, on the planning of marine-protected areas in the North.
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Matthew AsplinUniversity of Victoria
2016-2017 postdoctoral fellow awardMatthew Asplin
University of Victoria
Matthew Asplin recently completed his postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria and now works in the private sector at ASL Environmental Sciences Inc. as a scientific project manager.
During the tenure of his award, Matthew used data analysis tools commonly found in the artificial intelligence sector to analyze the meteorological drivers of storm surges in the Western Canadian Arctic, which have the potential to impact coastal Northern Indigenous communities.
By advancing this work further into the realm of artificial intelligence, Matthew’s work could help alert local Indigenous communities to risks in their area and inform future Arctic shipping and economic development activities.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research
The annual Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research recognizes the significant achievements of a senior Canadian researcher who has made important contributions to the study and understanding of Canada’s North. The prize is awarded based on nominations from other researchers in the field. It includes a cash prize and support for a research fellow to pursue scientific research and field work, attend conferences/scientific meetings, and engage with Northern communities.
2019 Lifetime Achievement Award winner
Congratulations to Dr. Wayne Pollard of McGill University who has been awarded the 2019 Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research.
As one of Canada’s leading Northern researchers, Dr. Pollard has devoted over 40 years to studying permafrost in Canada’s Arctic and its potential sensitivity to climate change. He was one of the first scientists to investigate perennial springs in High Arctic polar deserts, and his discoveries have since led to partnerships with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency in the search for water on other planets. Dr. Pollard’s leadership and dedication to nurturing the next generation of scientists further emphasize his outstanding and unwavering commitment to Canada’s North.
Read the full media release, December 5, 2019
Past Lifetime Achievement Award winner videos
Contact us
For more information about The Weston Family Awards in Northern Research or The Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research, please contact:
Daphne Wellman
Program officer
Tel: 613-563-1236 ext. 219
westonawards@univcan.ca
About The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
The predecessor to The W. Garfield Weston Foundation was first established in the 1950s by Willard Garfield Weston and his wife Reta, with a donation of shares from the family company, George Weston Limited. The Founders believed that because the funds were generated through the hard work and success of Canadian businesses, the Foundation’s donations should be given in Canada for the benefit of Canadians.
With a focus on medical research, the environment, and education, the Weston Family aims to catalyze inquiry and innovation to bring about long-term change. As the family’s charitable giving marks its 60th anniversary, it continues to collaborate with a broad range of Canadian charities to further world-class research, explore new ideas, and create tangible benefits for the communities in which it works.
For more information, please visit www.westonfoundation.org.
