Awards and Fellowships

Supporting scholarship and scientific research in Canada’s North

Weston Family Awards in Northern Research

The Weston Family Awards in Northern Research were launched in 2007 to support early-career researchers focusing on science in the North. Since that time, nearly 300 scientists have been funded at the graduate and postdoctoral level.

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.

Through a competitive process, awards are presented to outstanding students and scientists in northern research. The awards are administered by Scholarship Partners Canada (SPC), a part of Universities Canada. The master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral award winners are announced in June each year.

2023 competition

The 2023 competition opened on November 3, 2022.  All applications (including supporting documents) must be received before January 24, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. (EST).

For more information and to apply click here

Congratulations to the 2022 Award winners:

Master’s

Sara Bellfontaine, University of Windsor

Connor Faulkner, University of Manitoba

Sydney Goward, University of Victoria

Oliver Holt, University of Northern British Columbia

Rachel Mandryk, Carleton University

Ella Middleton, University of New Brunswick – Saint John

Tamika Mulders, University of British Columbia

Nicholas Paroshy, University of Alberta

Nicholas Pontone, Carleton University

Arash Rafat, Wilfrid Laurier University

Charlotte Rentmeister, Wilfrid Laurier University

Mary Anne Schoenhardt, Queen’s University

Emma Sutherland, University of Manitoba

Marina Taskovic, University of Alberta

Sandra Yaacoub, Queen’s University

Doctoral

Aaron Bell, University of Saskatchewan

Ellyn Davidson, University of Windsor

Cassandra Elphinstone, University of British Columbia

Katie Florko, University of British Columbia

David McGeachy, University of Alberta

Francis Quinby, Trent University

Aidan Sheppard, University of Alberta

Yifeng Wang, Queen’s University

Postdoctoral

Samuel Gagnon, Université Laval

Spencer Monckton, University of Guelph

Allison Patterson, University of Windsor

Michael Peers, Yukon University

To learn about the current and past award winners, please visit Weston Family Awards.

Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research

This prestigious $100,000 Weston Family Prize recognized significant contributions that have helped to shape our thinking and understanding of the North. Prize winners Dr. Wayne Pollard (2019), Dr. Derek Muir (2018), Dr. Michel Allard (2017), Dr. John England (2016), Dr. Ian Stirling (2015), Dr. Charles Krebs (2014), Dr. John Smol (2013), Dr. Louis Fortier (2012), and Dr. Serge Payette (2011) have all made lasting contributions while cultivating the next generation of northern scientists. This annual award culminated in 2019.