Two of Dr. Trevor Bell’s geography students have been selected as Canadian Northern Studies Trust recipients for 2008-2009.

Dominique St. Hilaire, a PhD candidate, was awarded a $40,000 Garfield Weston Award for Northern Research for her doctoral project titled Arctic Coastal Dynamics Under Changing Relative Sea-level and Environmental Forcing.

Melanie Irvine’s project, Assessing Community Scale Vulnerability in Nunavut, was awarded a $15,000 scholarship in the master’s category.

“I fell very fortunate to be able to carry out my research in a very exotic and challenging environment such as the Canadian Arctic. The Garfield Weston Award for Northern Research allows me to focus on my research and provides me with new and exciting opportunities. I am very thankful to ACUNS and the W. Garfield Weston Foundation for their generosity and support,” said Ms. St. Hilaire.

Ms. Irvine echoed Ms. St. Hilaire sentiments, saying that she is honoured to receive the Garfield Westin award which allows her to continue her research into landscape hazards in the Canadian North.

The Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies has promoted the advancement of northern scholarship through its awards program, the Canadian Northern Studies Trust (CNST), for 30 years.

The Garfield Weston Awards awarded to Ms. St-Hilaire and Ms. Irvine mark the second of a three-year, one-million-dollar scholarship program initiated to encourage Canada’s leadership in northern studies during the International Polar Year.

Karyn Butler, head of Memorial University’s geography department, congratulated both Ms. St-Hilaire and Ms. Irvine on their significant achievements.

“This is fantastic news for both Dominique and Melanie and for our department. I’m sure their success will be an example to other students who are considering research topics relevant to Canada’s North.”