This month we celebrate fourteen doctoral students and seven postdoctoral fellows who have received awards totaling more than $500K through Vanier Scholarships and Banting Fellowships. We learn about the noise impact on orcas through research from a recent grad and hear about a UBC study that debunks stereotypes of homeless people’s spending habits.
Researchers receive more than $1M in funding
Fourteen doctoral students at UBC have received Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS), and seven postdoctoral fellows have received Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. Together, the awards total more than $1M for UBC researchers.
The Vanier CGS program awards up to $50,000 per year for three years, for students working in social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health. The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships are worth $70,000 per year for two years. Across Canada, 166 doctoral students received Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, while 70 received Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. UBC's 19 researchers were revealed as part of the Government of Canada's announcement on August 28, 2023. Read more about these award winners and hear their stories.
UBC grad explores noise impact on orcas from small crafts off Richmond's coastline
Kim St-Pierre, who recently graduated with a master’s in land and water systems, spent four months looking into how noise pollution from smaller boats impacts southern resident orcas. St-Pierre undertook the project as a Fraser Estuary Research Collective Sustainability Scholar in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, and presented her findings at Branscombe House in Richmond recently. She pointed out that noise pollution from large vessels has been well documented, but has discovered that smaller crafts are not being accounted for in studies. Read more.
UBC study debunks stereotypes of homeless people’s spending habits
Psychology professor Dr. Jiaying Zhao led a study which found that unhoused people are more likely to spend a lump sum of money on rent, food, housing, transit and clothes, despite public perception otherwise. The study has been featured in a number of publications around the world, including The Guardian.