The Brace Water Centre is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s Graduate Top-up Awards—an initiative designed to support outstanding McGill graduate students conducting research in water-related fields. Supervised by Brace Faculty Members, this year’s winners are tackling pressing challenges in water quality, climate resilience, and sustainable management. Congratulations to all the recipients!
Quantifying the Risk of Antimicrobial Resistance Gene (ARG) Dissemination from Wastewater to the Human Gut Microbiome
Recipient: Fathima Afsal, Civil Engineering, PhD Candidate
Supervisors: Prof. Dominic Frigon / Prof. Stan Kubow
Fathima’s research addresses a growing global health concern: the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through environmental pathways. As wastewater systems increasingly carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), there’s a risk these genes could transfer into human microbiomes—potentially fueling infections that no longer respond to treatment. By linking environmental ARG exposure to their presence in the gut, the study identifies emerging AMR threats before they reach pathogenic levels. It also informs targeted water treatment strategies by pinpointing high-risk ARGs. In a world where antibiotic resistance is outpacing drug development, this research helps safeguard both water quality and public health.
Diagnosing Regional Hydrologic Sensitivity to Climate Change Through Water Vapor Residence Time
Recipient: Phillippe Boulanger, Natural Resource Sciences, MSc Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Robert Fajber
Phillippe’s research tackles a critical question: how does climate change alter the way water moves through our environment—and what does that mean for communities already facing water stress? As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere holds more moisture, yet precipitation doesn’t increase at the same rate. This mismatch, driven by longer Water Vapor Residence Time (WVRT), can lead to more intense droughts in some regions and extreme rainfall in others. By introducing a novel diagnostic using passive tracers in the Isca climate model, Phillippe’s study captures spatially resolved WVRT to better understand how moisture is transported and released. In a world where billions depend on stable water systems, this research helps bridge the gap between climate science and community-level adaptation.
Functionalized Cellulose Fibers as a Sustainable Super-Bridging Agent for Improved Removal of Suspended and Dissolved Contaminants During Wastewater Treatment
Recipient: Owen Armstrong, Chemical Engineering, PhD Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji
Owen’s research tackles a persistent challenge in water purification: how to efficiently remove both suspended solids and dissolved contaminants under fluctuating conditions. His solution? Transforming humble cellulose fibers into high-performance filtration tools. By chemically modifying these fibers with deep eutectic solvents (DES), the project introduces functional groups that dramatically improve contaminant capture. The enhanced materials are tested for their ability to remove heavy metals and microorganic pollutants, while also boosting floc formation and settling dynamics. Owen’s work offers a scalable, sustainable alternative to conventional treatment methods—one that’s rooted in green chemistry and engineered for real-world impact.
Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions to Improve Flood Resilience in Vulnerable Communities
Recipient: Cody Danaher, Bioresources Engineering, PhD Candidate
Supervisors: Prof. Jan Adamowski and Prof. Chandra Madramootoo
Cody’s research confronts the rising threat of climate-driven flooding in vulnerable communities—especially in low-income regions where infrastructure gaps widen risk. Centered on Guyana, where 90% of the population lives below sea level, the project explores nature-based solutions (NBS) as sustainable alternatives to conventional flood defenses. By combining participatory system dynamics modeling with hydrological simulations, Cody integrates local knowledge with scientific rigor. Grounded in community context and quantitative evaluation, this work reimagines flood adaptation strategies for the Global South—advancing both environmental sustainability and social equity.
Assessing Chemical Contamination in the Richelieu River Using Transcriptomic Points of Departure (tPODs)
Recipient: Elli Hung, Natural Resource Sciences, MSc Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Jessica Head
Elli’s research sheds light on an overlooked threat to aquatic life: the subtle but harmful effects of chemical mixtures in freshwater environments. Traditional toxicity tests often miss these sublethal impacts, especially when organisms are exposed to multiple contaminants at once. To address this gap, Elli applies transcriptomic points of departure (tPODs)—a method that pinpoints the lowest concentration of pollutants that trigger changes in gene expression. By analyzing river water samples and testing their effects on early life stage rainbow trout in a high-throughput assay, the project identifies contamination hotspots and validates tPODs as a powerful tool for ecological risk assessment. The findings offer a science-based foundation for shaping chemical pollution policy and advancing conservation efforts in Quebec and beyond.
Paleolimnological Insights into Ecological Transitions and Tipping Points in Canadian Lakes
Recipient: Jennifer Pham, Science Biology, PhD Candidate
Supervisors: Prof. Irene Gregory-Eaves, Prof. Beatrix Beisner & Dr. Zofia Taranu
Jennifer’s research explores the sediment layers of Canadian lakes to uncover how ecosystems respond to human pressures and climate change over time. Using paleolimnology, the study analyzes sediment cores from 90 lakes spanning roughly 150 years to detect ecological transitions. The results are striking: 92% of lakes show signs of critical change, with cyanobacteria emerging as sensitive indicators of ecosystem disruption. By linking these transitions to historical climate and population data, Jennifer’s work offers a powerful lens for understanding resilience and guiding pollution control. Her findings support long-term strategies to safeguard freshwater ecosystem services across Canada—ensuring that the lessons buried in lakebeds help shape a more sustainable future.
Enhancing Monitoring of Snow and Glacier Dynamics to Support Water Resource Management in Mountain Regions
Recipient: Eole Valence, Earth and Planetary Sciences, PhD Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Jeffrey McKenzie
Eole’s research brings precision and innovation to the challenge of managing water resources in glacier-fed mountain regions. Working in a National Park, the study combines remote sensing with field-based observations to improve how we monitor snow and glacier dynamics. By refining snowmelt models, tracking ice cliff changes, and developing new tools to measure glacier volume beneath debris, Eole’s work helps predict seasonal meltwater availability with greater accuracy. These insights are critical for strengthening climate adaptation strategies in communities and ecosystems that depend on glacial runoff. As warming accelerates and water systems shift, this research equips decision-makers with the data they need to plan for a more resilient future.
Regional Innovation Ecosystems for Community-Led Water Management in Rwanda’s Volcano Region
Recipient: Janet Akayenzi, Natural Resource Sciences, PhD Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Gordon Hickey
Janet’s research explores how Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) can empower rural communities to manage water sustainably in the face of climate stress. Focusing on flood-prone areas of Rwanda, the study is anchored in the Volcano Community Resilience Project—a grassroots initiative where local knowledge meets institutional support. Through co-developed solutions like erosion control and water harvesting systems, Janet examines how informal innovations gain traction and legitimacy. By mapping stakeholder networks and analyzing how these practices are integrated into formal policy frameworks, the project reveals how RIEs foster adaptive, equitable water strategies. The findings offer scalable models for climate resilience and sustainable development in vulnerable regions—where innovation is not just technical, but deeply social.
Improving Oxygenation in Hydropower Discharges Using Retrofit Draft Tube Aeration Technologies
Recipient: Pouria Rahmati, Civil Engineering, PhD Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Susan Gaskin
Pouria’s research tackles a hidden consequence of hydropower: the drop in dissolved oxygen levels downstream that can disrupt aquatic ecosystems. The project investigates draft tube aeration—a retrofit technology that introduces air into turbine outflows using strategically placed deflectors. Through experimental testing and advanced fluid dynamics analysis, Pouria aims to optimize deflector design and improve predictions of oxygenation rates. These innovations support better water quality management at hydropower sites and advances pollution control and protect ecosystem health.
Design and Evaluation of Phosphorus Removal Structures to Mitigate Eutrophication in the Holland Marsh
Recipient: Tahmina Nasir Bushra, Bioresource Engineering, MSc Candidate
Supervisor: Prof. Chandra Madramootoo
Tahmina’s research tackles the urgent issue of nutrient pollution from agriculture, a major driver of freshwater eutrophication that leads to harmful algal blooms, oxygen-depleted zones, and biodiversity loss. Focusing on areas known for both its agricultural productivity and its phosphorus runoff she designs and implements nature-based solutions like stacked woodchip bioreactors, phosphorus-removal structures, and controlled drainage systems to intercept and treat runoff before it reaches the lake. These systems are built using the P-trap software model, with water samples collected at strategic points to assess phosphorus removal efficiency and optimize system performance. By integrating ecological engineering with data-driven design, Tahmina’s work offers a scalable approach to improving water quality and advancing sustainable water management practices in Canada and beyond.
Photocatalytic Destruction of PFAS Using Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Sustainable Water Treatment
Recipient: Megan Ethier, Civil Engineering, MSc Candidate
Supervisors: Prof. Stephanie Loeb & Prof. Jinxia Liu
Megan’s research takes aim at one of the most stubborn threats to drinking water safety: PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” known for their persistence and resistance to conventional treatment. Instead of relying on waste-heavy adsorption methods, her project explores hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as a novel photocatalyst. By inducing structural defects in hBN through liquid-phase exfoliation, Megan investigates how these modifications enhance PFAS degradation under UV-C light. The study seeks to link defect chemistry with catalytic performance, paving the way for a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to water contamination. Her work advances cutting-edge water treatment technologies by transforming novel materials into practical solutions for global pollution challenges, ultimately delivering cleaner and safer water through sustainable innovation.
