Student freshwater scientists honored at research conference

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2024

WINDSOR, ONT — The International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) recognized outstanding student scientists for their contributions to IAGLR and large lake science. The following awards were announced today at the association’s 67th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research in Windsor.

Norman S. Baldwin Scholarship
The 2024 winners are Zach Jones (University of Windsor) for research on “Determining the effect of winter duration on a warmwater fish: using inland lakes to inform Great Lakes management” and Justin Hubbard (University of Toronto) for research on “Predicting freshwater invasion risks under current and future conditions.” The Norman S. Baldwin Fishery Science Scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving graduate student conducting research pertaining to Great Lakes fisheries. Sponsored by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the scholarship honors the first executive secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

David M. Dolan Scholarship
The recipient of this year’s award is Nusrat Khan (Arizona State University) for research on “Deciphering dynamics with advanced statistical analysis of TKN trends in Great Lake tributaries over four decades.” The scholarship is awarded for the pursuit of graduate research in applied mathematics for the advancement of a quantitative understanding and management of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The scholarship honors the memory of David M. Dolan, whose work in applied mathematics, statistics, and computer modeling provided a quantitative basis for phosphorus management on the Great Lakes.

IAGLR Scholarship
The 2024 winner is Sarah Peterson (University of Wisconsin) for research on “Coastal Geomorphological Changes under fluctuating Water Levels in the Great Lakes.” The IAGLR Scholarship is awarded annually to promising Ph.D. students whose dissertation research is likely to make a significant contribution to the understanding of large lakes.

JGLR/Elsevier Student Award
Alexander Duncan (Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, Fisheries Assessment Program) received the Elsevier Student Author Award for the article “An investigation into Saugeen Ojibway Nation-based ecological knowledge on the ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) of Lake Huron,” Journal of Great Lakes Research 49, S138-S147 (2023). This award recognizes a student scientist who is first author on a top-ranked article in the journal. Co-authored with Ryan Lauzon, Cavan Harpur.

IDEA+ Presenter Scholarship
Ruth Duncan (Trent University) received the IDEA+ Presenter Scholarship for the presentation titled “Maawanji’idiwag: Reflections on the journey of building a multi-national network to support Indigenous-led Great Lakes Research” at the conference. This scholarship supports presenters who add to the diversity of perspectives shared at the IAGLR annual conference from the interface of large lake science, management, education, communication, policy, and community.

IDEA+ Research Scholarship
Christine Atuhaire (Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda) received the IDEA+ Research Scholarship for the presentation titled “Remote Sensing of Marine Plastics on Lake Victoria in Uganda.” This scholarship supports research that adds to the diversity of perspectives regarding large lake science, management, education, communication, policy and community.

International Travel Award
This year’s recipient is Janvière Tuyisenge (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands ) for the presentation titled “Cage aquaculture in Lake Kivu-Rwanda: examining the implications for water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.”

IAGLR Outstanding Student Paper Award
Sam Francis Sage (The Ohio State University) received the IAGLR Outstanding Student Paper Award for research on "Combating Legacy Phosphorus: Phosphorus Removal Structures for Tile-Drained Agricultural Fields" presented at the IAGLR 2023 conference.

IAGLR Outstanding Student Poster Award
Amanda Welsbacher (Penn State Behrend) received the IAGLR Outstanding Student Poster Award for research on "Collection of Nitellopsis obtusa and Determination of eDNA Signal Detection Limit" presented at the IAGLR 2023 conference.