Psychology PhD students, Mikayla Pachkowski and Jessica Stewart, were recently awarded 2019 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowships and in June 2020, Bita Zareian received the 2019 Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Doctoral Scholarship. Ellen Jopling and Ariel Ko also received SSHRC Canada Graduate Doctoral Scholarships.
Join us in congratulating all of the award recipients!
This national funding supports graduate students across Canada to pursue research into critical social issues. The Government of Canada is investing $26 million over the next four years to support 540 doctoral researchers across Canada through the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships competition.
“I'm tremendously grateful to receive the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, which will support my work in advancing knowledge and understanding of suicide through my PhD.”
Mikayla’s research focuses on suicidal thoughts and behaviours. She is particularly interested in the role of dissociation (e.g., feeling detached from one’s body and/or surroundings) in the transition from thinking about suicide to making a suicide attempt.
“I’m grateful to have received the SSHRC fellowship because it will allow me to dedicate more time to my research.”
Jessica Stewart is studying the extent to which being likeable is a stable individual difference as well as whether being likeable in childhood is associated with more positive health outcomes in adulthood.
“I greatly appreciate receiving the 2019 Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Doctoral Scholarship, as it provides me with the opportunity to dedicate my time to investigating the role of various risk factors that contribute to the development of depression in adolescents. I believe that gaining a better understanding of risk factors for depression will help reduce the incidence of depression in adolescents for future generations.”
Bita’s research focuses on biological and cognitive factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of depressive disorders. She is particularly interested in the role sex hormones, stress response, and reward processing in the development of depression in adolescent women.
“Our government has always believed that the best investments are based on quality data and research. Social sciences and humanities are helping Canadians navigate complex societal issues; informing sound decision-making across government, business and community sectors; creating jobs; and securing a better future for our country and our kids. I want to congratulate this year’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship recipients, and look forward to the transformative work they will do.”
