UNews - Faculty of Health Sciences

High school students don lab coats in pursuit of research

caroline.zentner — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:53:18 +0000

Some of southern Alberta’s top high school science students will get the opportunity to work with leading ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers this summer as ULethbridge hosts the annual High School Youth Research Summer (HYRS) program.

Students in last year's HYRS program worked in labs across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

One of the most influential summer development programs for high school students, HYRS has proven to be a launching pad for exceptional science students and future post-secondary researchers.

“This is such a great opportunity for young people interested in science to really see their studies in action and take their learning to another level,” says Steph Elder, Manager of Destination Exploration, ULethbridge’s youth outreach program. “The hands-on work they’re involved in and the high-end lab facilities they get to work in really spark their curiosity and creativity. It gives the students invaluable experience they can build on as they finish their high school studies and take with them into a post-secondary setting.”

In just the last year, three local-area students who had the opportunity to train with ULethbridge researchers in the summer HYRS program won medals at the Canada Wide Science Fair. Fatema Riaz (Medicine Hat High School) earned a gold medal at the national science fair after being mentored by Dr. Dylan Girodat (chemistry & biochemistry); Mehnaz Khan (G.S. Lakie Middle School) earned a bronze medal after working with Dr. Matthew Bogard (biological sciences); and Nycea Hazelwood (Lethbridge Collegiate Institute) received the award for the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association after studying with Dr. Kim Stanford (biological sciences).

“One of the greatest strengths of the HYRS Program is the exceptional quality of researchers the high-school students are paired with from multiple departments,” says Dr. Trushar Patel, Canada Research Chair in RNA and Protein Biophysics and associate dean in the ULethbridge Faculty of Arts & Science. “These dedicated scientists not only lead cutting-edge research, but they also take the time to mentor and inspire the next generation of leaders. For high school students, this is a truly unique opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in their fields."

HYRS is a six-week consecutive program that runs annually at ULethbridge, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. Students receive a stipend of $3,000 for six weeks of training and get the opportunity to participate in hands-on research work with Alberta Innovates-funded research groups.

“Students will join research teams that include PhD, master’s and bachelor students, get full lab access and work on projects in fields such as genetics, neuroscience, bioengineering, molecular imaging, recreational therapy, health-care policy and more,” adds Elder.

In addition, students get the chance to hear guest speakers talk about their research careers and participate in a term-end research symposium where they can showcase their work to parents, mentors and members of the public. This year’s HYRS program runs July 4 to Aug. 15, with the research symposium taking place Thursday, Aug. 14, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in Science Commons Atrium.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers earn Digital Research Alliance grants

caroline.zentner — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:51:01 +0000

Four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge scholars have received $35,000 from the Digital Research Alliance (DRI) of Canada for projects advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in digital research infrastructure. The funding, announced earlier this year, is part of $2.87 million awarded to EDIA Champions across the country.

From left to right are Toyin Aladejebi, Chiedozie Alumona, Frank Onuh and Dr. Nathan Woods.

“To have four scholars from ULethbridge receive these grants is an indication of the excellence in research, and it is worth celebrating,” says Martha Mathurin-Moe, vice-provost of Accessibility, Belonging and Community. “Investing in this type of research is crucial for creating an inclusive, innovative and diverse research ecosystem where students are able to connect deeply, learn from multiple perspectives and address critical research problems. These research projects will continue to strengthen and broaden the research landscape, but also create meaningful opportunities for all our diverse students to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.”

“Digital research infrastructure is transforming the way we conduct and share scholarly work,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president of research. “By leveraging digital tools and resources, these researchers can overcome traditional barriers, collaborate more effectively and drive innovation across disciplines. Not only did we see strong interest in this inaugural call for proposals, our success rate reinforces the quality of our research environment.”

Toyin Aladejebi, a PhD student in Population Studies in Health, focused her project on empowering graduate women researchers to build networks that enable them to find and share data and collaborate with other researchers in Canada and around the world.

Chiedozie Alumona is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health Sciences studying under Dr. Olu Awosoga. Alumona’s project aims to train racialized scholars in the Faculty of Health Science in using digital research infrastructure.

Frank Onuh, a PhD student, conducts research at the intersection of information disorder, decoloniality and artificial intelligence (AI). His doctoral research centres on decolonizing information verification practices in Africa to leverage the insights and findings to develop appropriate intelligent systems for automated fact checking that capture and represent the African experience.

Dr. Nathan Woods, a postdoctoral fellow in the Humanities Innovation Lab, conducted a needs assessment study that looks at barriers and opportunities for humanities researchers to work with the Canadian digital research infrastructure.

Read the full story.

Now you’ll know where to go when you gotta go

caroline.zentner — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:52:14 +0000

A team of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers have created a digital interactive map of publicly available washrooms in the city called GottaGoYQL.

Dr. Julia Brassolotto

Known as the Lavatory Laboratory, the research team, including Drs. Julia Brassolotto, a public health professor, Philip Bonnaventure, a geography professor, along with geography master’s student Zeeshan Hamayun and public health master’s student Brianna Rogers, travelled around town mapping public toilet locations and documenting their features.

“Public washroom access is important for public health, equity and dignity,” says Brassolotto. “It is also a critical part of an age-friendly and accessible community. We all need to use the washroom throughout the day, each with different needs and varying degrees of urgency.”

“As a geographer, I am always looking for ways to communicate information spatially and through mapping,” says Bonnaventure. “When the opportunity to work with public health was proposed, I saw this as a way to blend our disciplines while aiding our community. Everyone feels more comfortable knowing where you can go when you are on the go.”

Public toilets create cleaner and more sanitary spaces, which reduces deaths and improves health. They also create greater social participation. One study done in the UK found that 20 per cent of people don’t go out as much as they’d like to because of limited bathroom access. About a third of people lose some bladder control as they get older, and having public washrooms available enables them to participate more. People with medical conditions such as Crohn’s and colitis may be especially impacted because they may need to access a washroom quickly.

The GottaGoYQL map indicates the location of public washrooms around the city and the amenities each one offers. Public washrooms are those that members of the public can use without needing to be paying customers. In addition to the location pins, the map also provides information on whether the washrooms are gendered, their accessibility features, if a changing table is available and more.

“Maybe you’re a new parent who wants to find a washroom with a change table,” says Brassolotto. “Or maybe you have a health condition that requires frequent bathroom visits or you’re out walking the dog when nature calls. Whatever the situation, the map shows you where to go when you’ve gotta go.”

More than $1 million in SSHRC grants to support vital social sciences and humanities research projects

caroline.zentner — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:23:51 +0000

Several ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers have received Insight and Insight Development grants worth more than $1 million through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Their projects will delve into varied topics including immigration, artist-run centres, charitable giving, Depression-era Canadian poetry, and medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

“Research in the social sciences and humanities plays an essential role in understanding and improving the human condition,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president of research at ULethbridge. “These grants enable our researchers to enrich cultural understanding, foster a deeper appreciation of human experiences and make an impact on the lives of everyday citizens.”

The following researchers have been awarded Insight Grants:

Dr. Debra Basil, a Dhillon School of Business professor of marketing, will look at the immigrant settlement experience in small to mid-sized cities in Western Canada and develop a community-based social marketing program to improve newcomer settlement experiences.

Dr. Devon Smither, associate dean in the Faculty of Fine Arts, plans to examine and document the history and impact of artist-run centres, which were created in the 1960s and 1970s as alternatives to commercial galleries.

Dr. Julia Brassolotto’s project focuses on the complexities of MAiD in Canada by examining the ethical issues surrounding MAiD through official government statements and lived experiences.

The following researchers have been awarded Insight Development Grants:

Dr. Hamid Akbary, a sociology professor, will examine potential biases in Canadian immigration policies and the public perception of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Dr. David Hobbs, an English professor, looks to recover vital portions of Western Canadian literary culture from the Great Depression by examining the work of poet Dorothy Livesay.

Anthropology professor Dr. Jodie Asselin’s project centres on the transformation of culturally significant landscapes due to climate change and climate change mitigation measures. While such landscape change is occurring around the world, Asselin will focus on sites in rural Ireland to both record and acknowledge site loss and the implications for rural futures, providing a lesson applicable to communities across the global north.

Dr. Jessica Jacobson-Konefall, a Faculty of Fine Arts professor, plans to examine longstanding ancestral cultural forms as they appear in contemporary art in Winnipeg. The project brings attention to Anishinaabe, Eastern European and Caribbean diasporic arts.

Charities in Canada face increasing demand but many lack the resources to serve everyone. Dr. Rhiannon Mesler, a Dhillon School of Business professor at ULethbridge’s Calgary Campus, will look at consumer backlash to charities that accept donations from firms that generate their money by legal but morally questionable means, such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or non-renewable energy, and how they might navigate the challenge.

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

Canadian children with greater freedom to roam show lower psychological distress

caroline.zentner — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:07:26 +0000

Parents today likely won’t be surprised to know their children have far less freedom to travel in their neighbourhoods than they did. But what they might not know is how that could affect their children’s mental health.

Dr. Richard Larouche, a Faculty of Health Sciences professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and other researchers across Canada have found children’s independent mobility (CIM), which is children’s freedom to roam and explore their neighbourhood without adult supervision, has declined over the past 50 years. Researchers have also noted the decline in CIM happened at the same time as a major increase in mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and suicide among children and adolescents.

“While there seems to be an association between mental health and CIM, there was no longitudinal evidence to support the idea,” says Larouche. “Using data from a national longitudinal study we conducted between December 2020 and June 2022, we tested the hypothesis that higher CIM would be associated with lower levels of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The data were obtained from parents of 2,258 seven- to 12-year-olds in Canada. They were surveyed every six months and asked to assess their children’s distress and indicate how far children were allowed to roam alone or with friends or siblings — their home range.

“Consistent with our hypothesis, a higher home range was associated with lower odds of parent-perceived distress among Canadian children during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Larouche. “Children with the highest level of home range had 39 per cent lower odds of having elevated distress. This is a notable difference given that just over half of the children met the threshold for elevated distress at the beginning of the study. The proportion declined slightly to about 42 per cent by the end of the study when most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.”

While the study included a relatively large national sample size, the researchers say intervention studies are needed to further investigate the relationship between CIM and mental health and determine causality.

“Our findings concur with research showing that in-person school attendance was associated with better mental health than online attendance,” says Larouche. “Our results underscore the need to provide more mental health support for children during pandemics, especially for low-income families and children attending school remotely. Supporting CIM may be a no-cost, equitable approach to promote physical activity and support child development and mental health.”

The researchers suggest pediatricians and health professionals consider promoting the benefits of children getting out and about. The Canadian Paediatric Society released a position statement earlier this year regarding the benefits of outdoor risky play. CIM is viewed as one example of risky play, which is defined as thrilling and exciting play that can include the possibility of physical injury. Urban planners and policymakers could ensure children have access to places that support their independent mobility, including parks, playgrounds and walking and cycling paths. UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative is one such example.

“More research is also needed to develop, implement and evaluate effective interventions to promote children’s independent mobility,” says Larouche.

New EDI Scholars to build capacity for equity, diversity and inclusion at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:16:20 +0000

Now in its fourth year, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholars program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to grow, welcoming three new scholars for 2024-25.

Drs. Bonnie Lee and Anastasia Stuart-Edwards, along with doctoral candidate Tara Million, have been named EDI Scholars, and will undertake projects aimed at advancing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s EDI goals. When complete, these scholars will share their findings with the broader campus community.

“We are thrilled to introduce our newest cohort of EDI champions,” says Hernando (Nando) Ortega Arango, project manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. “Congratulations to our 2024-25 EDI Scholars and thank you to all applicants. This was a highly competitive selection process, and we look forward to collaborating with this exceptional group to enhance EDI capacity.”

Since its inception in 2021, the EDI Scholars program has named 13 scholars, including this year’s additions. In 2023-24, the program expanded its application process to increase EDI efforts across various faculties, departments and backgrounds. The projects for 2024-25 reflect this diversity, with participation from the Dhillon School of Business and the Faculties of Arts & Science and Health Sciences.

“Championing EDI initiatives is a collective responsibility, and everyone can contribute to fostering inclusion and belonging,” says Ortega. “Through the work of the EDI Scholars, we hope to reach diverse audiences and strengthen the impact of EDI efforts across campus.”

2024-25 EDI Scholars

Dr. Bonnie Lee

Dr. Bonnie Lee (Faculty of Health Sciences — addictions counselling) will launch the Student-generated Quick Cases: EDI Dilemmas from Students’ Lived Experience project. This competition invites upper-level and graduate health sciences students to create “Hollywood-style” vignettes based on their personal experiences with EDI dilemmas. The goal is to generate real-life scenarios for discussion and role-play, helping students explore various perspectives and compiling a valuable resource for future educational use.

“EDI issues are more complex than meet the eye,” says Lee. “It’s always instructive to consider these dilemmas from the standpoints of the various actors involved. We want to understand why people take the positions they do and get a deeper sense of what they feel inside.”

Tara Million

Tara Million (Faculty of Arts & Science — Indigenous studies) will expand her research on Indigenous law by drawing on Blackfoot, Cree and Métis legal orders to begin Indigenizing conflict resolution policies and procedures at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“I am very honoured to have been selected as an EDI Scholar,” says Million. “My research project draws on the premises that Canada is a multi-juridical country where Indigenous laws exist alongside Canadian common and civil law and that the Numbered Treaties express a range of Indigenous legal orders. It’s extremely important to me as an Indigenous faculty member that my research helps to create a theoretical and physical space where the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ can function under the umbrella of Indigenous legal orders, as well as within provincial and federal laws.”

Dr. Anastasia Stuart-Edwards

Dr. Anastasia Stuart-Edwards (Dhillon School of Business) will study incivility within academic settings by exploring the experiences of faculty members with diverse backgrounds and focusing on the prevalence, perception and personal and organizational strategies that can mitigate its harmful effects. Ultimately, Stuart-Edwards hopes her research will inform policies and practices that enhance organizational behaviour and well-being in educational institutions.

“Receiving this award is a significant milestone for me as it underscores the importance of addressing incivility within academic environments,” says Stuart-Edwards, who invites faculty members throughout Canadian academia to participate in her survey. “Through my research, I aim to uncover the prevalence and impact of selective incivility, particularly among faculty members with traditionally stigmatized attributes, and to develop effective strategies for fostering more respectful and inclusive academic settings.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers to collaborate on projects funded by Partnership Grants

caroline.zentner — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:59:54 +0000

Several ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are collaborating on recently announced projects funded through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grants.

“ULethbridge researchers involved in these projects are contributing their expertise to studies that have an impact across Canada and around the world,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president research. “Many research projects have an increasingly broad scope and depend on collaborations with researchers at other universities in Canada and abroad. These collaborations transform individual insight into collective knowledge and generate discoveries that a single researcher might not uncover alone.”

Dr. Lisa Starr, dean of the Faculty of Education, and Dr. Kaylan Schwarz, a professor in the School of Liberal Education, are involved in a project called TRANSFORM: Engaging with Young People for Social Change. The project is supported by a $2.5-million Partnership Grant from SSHRC and over $3 million in in-kind and cash contributions from partner universities and organizations.

The project is led by Dr. Claudia Mitchell from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. The researchers will study how young people are pivotal agents of change in gender equality, particularly through visual arts. Using diverse art forms, such as photography, filmmaking, cellphilming (video shot on a cellphone or tablet camera), performance art and textile production, the TRANSFORM project will empower and champion youth-led agendas for transforming gender norms and inequalities. The study has field sites in Africa, South America and India.

Dr. Olu Awosoga, a Faculty of Health Sciences professor with expertise in quantitative research methods, is a co-applicant on a $2.5 million SSHRC Partnership Grant to improve the well-being of Black children and youth in Canada. The project is led by Dr. Bukola Salami at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. The project focuses on experiences with the justice system, the education system, the child welfare system and immigration and settlement. Researchers will conduct a national survey focusing on Black children and youth in Canada — the first of its kind — to gather data on the lived experiences of Black youth.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA’71), DASc ’04), vice-provost of Iniskim Indigenous Relations, is collaborating on a project led by Dr. Shalene Jobin of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. The Critical Approaches to Indigenous Relationality project is supported by a $2.5-million Partnership Grant.

A further project funded by a Partnership Grant and involving ULethbridge researchers is the already announced Gatherings: Archival and Oral Histories of Performance project.

In addition, Dr. Kara Granzow, a sociology professor, is a co-applicant on a SSHRC program called the Reconciliation Network in Response to Call to Action 65 led by Dr. Vanessa Watts at McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. This joint initiative between the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and SSHRC supports the establishment of a national research program to advance the collective understanding of reconciliation. The project Re-Neighbouring as Reconciliation: Indigenous Stories of Resistance was awarded more than $975,000 over five years.

Dr. Julia Brassolotto appointed Associate Dean

caroline.zentner — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:01:25 +0000

Dr. Julia Brassolotto, an Associate Professor in the Public Health program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, has been appointed Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences. She assumed her new role on July 1, 2024.

Brassolotto earned her undergraduate degree at McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and moved to York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to complete her master’s and a PhD in Health Policy and Equity.

She joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2016 and was appointed the Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions (AIHS) Research Chair in Healthy Futures and Well-being in Rural Settings. Broadly, Brassolotto’s research looks at issues related to aging and dying. Her research has examined long-term care in rural Alberta, sexual expression in continuing care homes, age-friendly communities and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in rural communities. Through a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant, she and co-investigators from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto and Brock ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are looking to develop and evaluate a toolkit designed to help support safe and healthy sexual expression for people living with dementia. Her Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded research continues to examine MAiD, with a focus on the discourse surrounding concepts of autonomy and vulnerability.

Most recently, Brassolotto has collaborated with Dr. Phil Bonnaventure in the geography department, two graduate students and the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization to create a digital interactive map of publicly accessible washrooms in the City of Lethbridge. This applied research project recognizes public washroom availability as a health-equity issue and an important component of an age-friendly community.

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Brassolotto accept the associate dean role for the Faculty of Health Sciences,” says Dr. Jon Doan (PhD ’06), Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “Julia brings a clarity and a vision to every project she works on, and her thoughtful and thorough approach and her capacity for clear and effective communication will be very welcome as our group continues to evaluate and evolve our academic programs and develop our next strategic plan. I look forward to working with Julia and our academic and support staff on the important opportunities and challenges that connect with Health Sciences and the health of our community and beyond.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing students help establish a new wellness partnership

caroline.zentner — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:22:03 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge third-year nursing students helped create a partnership between Medical Mercy Canada and the Blood Tribe Department of Health as part of their community health initiative earlier this spring. Medical Mercy Canada provides medical supply donations, such as wound-care necessities and medical equipment, to various countries worldwide.

During their community health clinical rotation, the students were placed with the Blood Tribe Department of Health at the Lethbridge Wellness Shelter and Stabilization Unit.

Chloe Crosschild (BN ’14, MN ’19), assistant professor of nursing and a member of the Kainai Nation (Blood Tribe), encouraged her students to first build relationships with the guests at the wellness shelter. The students gradually got to know the guests and clients, asking about their needs and how they could help fill those needs.

ULethbridge nursing students help unload medical supplies donated by Medical Mercy Canada.

Students placed in the wellness shelter’s security section noticed that wound-care supplies were needed so they began searching for ways to procure bandages and gauze. They soon discovered Medical Mercy Canada, a Calgary-based non-religious, non-partisan, registered Canadian charity that provides supplies and services to people and communities in need, and reached out to Dr. Myron Semkuley, founder of Medical Mercy.

“The students quickly realized that their community health clinical placement was an opportunity to build bridges and create sustainable partnerships between the Lethbridge wellness shelter and community stakeholders,” said Crosschild. “This partnership would not have happened had the students not taken the leap to call Medical Mercy. They were able to see the long-term benefits of making those connections.”

The students arranged a partnership between the two organizations that will see monthly deliveries of supplies to the wellness shelter. In addition, Semkuley travelled to Lethbridge to meet with the students and Kash Shade (BN ’12, MHSM ’22), chief operations officer at the Blood Tribe Department of Health, visit the wellness shelter and bring a truckload of supplies like bandages, slippers, hand sanitizer, masks and walkers. The students shared their experiences and how the donations impacted the guests at the wellness shelter.

“I have never met you before, but I am already proud of you,” said Semkuley. “There is nobody better than people who look after people in need.”

Students in the rotation said they gained experience working in community health and learned much from the clients and guests staying at the wellness shelter.

“There is a lot of negative energy towards the wellness shelter, and I think people could have a lot more empathy and compassion if they were to put themselves in the shoes of the guests here,” said nursing student Denby Ettenhofer. “These are not bad people; they are just in bad situations and any one of us could be in the same situation. Knowing people care and are there and want to help makes a huge difference.”

A more detailed story is available at wellness partnership.

Local nurses create scholarship for registered nurses

caroline.zentner — Tue, 07 May 2024 16:01:11 +0000

In keeping with this year’s theme for National Nursing Week from May 6 to 12 — Changing Lives. Shaping Tomorrow. — the efforts of a group of local nurses continue to change lives and shape the future of registered nurses who want to pursue graduate studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Dr. Shannon Spenceley Legacy of Nursing Scholarship, named after professor emerita and former dean of the ULethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences, is intended for registered nurses or nurse practitioners members in good standing with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) who are pursuing a graduate degree in any faculty at ULethbridge. Fundraising began in 2016 when the Lethbridge Legacy of Nursing Committee was formed. It coincided with the 100th anniversary of registered nursing in Alberta.

Professor Emerita Dr. Shannon Spenceley (right) poses with scholarship recipient, Shannon Vandenberg.

“We discussed the future of the profession and how that future is supported by enabling registered nurses to advance their education,” says Spenceley, adding that the committee wanted to raise funds to support advanced nursing education focused on addressing local health and health-care issues. “That was how we came up with the notion of a scholarship specifically for registered nurses who want to pursue graduate studies at ULethbridge.”

The committee held an annual nursing gala for several years to raise funds, although the pandemic resulted in one cancellation and one virtual event.

“Our local business community and local donors and sponsors were incredibly generous,” says Spenceley. “We set a goal to raise enough money to endow the scholarship so it could be awarded every year just from the interest earned on the invested principal. We reached that goal in 2022.”

The scholarship has been awarded to seven recipients so far. One of those recipients, Shannon Vandenberg (BN ’08, MSc Nursing ’13), is an RN and instructor in the ULethbridge nursing program. She is pursuing a PhD in Population Studies in Health.

“This award has enabled me to continue with my PhD studies and develop a research program of my own,” says Vandenberg. “My research aims to understand practice preparedness of Canadian RNs in emerging vector-borne diseases, and I hope this knowledge will promote improved patient outcomes.”

The scholarship is administered by the Alberta Registered Nurses Educational Trust (ARNET).

UNews - Faculty of Health Sciences

High school students don lab coats in pursuit of research

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing students help establish a new wellness partnership