Natural Resource Sciences postdoc wins prestigious Banting Fellowship

Anaïs Médieu, a McGill University postdoctoral researcher working in Natural Resource Sciences Professor Kyle Elliott's lab, has been awarded a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship for her project on the interactive effects of climate change and plastic contamination on Arctic seabirds.

This major funding from the Government of Canada, valued at up to $70,000 annually for two years, recognizes Médieu's academic excellence, leadership, and research potential.

About the project

"Climate change and environmental pollution, including plastic contamination, pose major threats to Arctic wildlife. As temperatures rise, ice cover declines, forcing top predators to alter their migration routes. Some Arctic predators are also affected by plastic pollution, but little is known about the impact of plastic-related chemical contaminants. These stressors interact, with climate change influencing contaminant levels and migration patterns exposing wildlife to varying contamination risks. My research will examine how climate change and plastic-related contaminants affect thick-billed murres, the most abundant seabird in the Canadian Arctic. I will quantify contaminants, including microplastics, flame retardants, ultraviolet stabilizers, PFAS, and mercury, in murres from breeding and wintering sites. Using bio-loggers, I will track migration patterns to infer where and when seabirds are exposed to contaminants. This study will provide insights into how climate change is likely to influence contaminants exposure, informing wildlife conservation and food security for Northern communities reliant on murres." —Anaïs Médieu

McGill doctoral and postdoctoral researchers awarded Vanier Scholarships and Banting Fellowships

Sixteen McGill students received the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, which provides up to $50,000 per year for three years. Seven postdoctoral scholars earned the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, valued at up to $70,000 annually for two years.

This year, 166 Vanier Scholarships worth $24.9 million and 70 Banting Fellowships worth $9.8 million were awarded nationwide. The programs attract and support top-tier researchers from Canada and around the world.

Both programs have been funded by Canada’s three federal research agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.